Tricks, Ghosts and a Very Different Life
by Catherine or Cate
Summary: ON HIATUS Harry Potter, Sirius Black, Perenelle Ravenclaw, Regulus Black, Manipulative! Dumbledore feature in a tale of kidnapping, fake identity, haunting, pranking and kicking bad and good guys butts when they deserve it. SBOC, HPOC
1. 1 Escape

III

Tricks, Ghosts and a Very Different Life

III

One - Escape

III

Sirius Black stood in the gateway of his best friend's former home. It could not be called a home any longer; it was a house with lots of damage. The roof had caved in and the south wall was missing and scattered over the nearby ground.

Acting on instinct Sirius made his way carefully into the ruins. He saw the body of his best friend James Potter lying beside the stairs. Moving to crouch beside the man, he thought of as a brother Sirius moaned like a wounded animal. Gently, he patted the area under which James' heart used to beat in moment of reminiscence. Sirius slowly closed the blank hazel eyes as tears dripped from his eyes. Leaving the body, Sirius moved up the stairs to the nursery.

The hall wall of Harry Potter's nursery had been destroyed by a blast; debris and a pile of robes lay on the ground. In a clear area of the room, the intelligent Lily Potter lay still in death. Her red hair splayed about her like a halo and her arm rested over the body of her small son.

Creeping forward Sirius watched in amazement as the toddler's chest rose and fell with each breath.

'Sirius?' came the musical voice from behind the large armoire.

Sirius snapped his head up to see a young woman with coppery coloured hair emerge from behind the large piece of furniture, wrapped in traditional Greek robes. Looking at her seemingly perfect features on her porcelain face Sirius felt his eyes widen in recognition.

'I, ah… Penny?'

'Sirius, we must move quickly. We must take Harry and flee. I have over heard Dumbledore's plans when he spoke to my companion, and I do not agree with his plans. That man does not respect the dead,' the woman hissed angrily. 'Will you come?'

Sirius took one look at the unconscious child on the floor and nodded. 'I'll go where I have to, like I swore I would. Harry needs me.'

Sirius watched as the woman pushed back one of the folds in her sheet like robes to reveal a second small child, of the approximately the same age. Kneeling beside the former Lily Potter, she lay the second child down before placing hand on each baby. Sirius swore that he recognised the second baby before it became Harry's double using some for of unrecognisable magic. Quickly, the woman traded their places and moved back over to Sirius handing their godson to him.

'I never thought I would see you again,' he whispered to the toddler, half to the woman at his side.

Looking at Sirius the woman frowned. 'You need to know the truth to get past the wards of my property,' she said quietly. 'It helps that you have the blood of a Ravenclaw.'

'What do you mean?' Sirius asked looking up.

'I am Perenelle Ravenclaw.'

Sirius's eyes shot toward his hairline. He watched as the woman touched his arm and little Harry Potter's head before they were surrounded by blue light and orbed away.

The trio reappeared standing in an open but neat navy, caramel and cream decorated lounge and dining room with large windows, which looked out into the inky nothingness of night.

'I have so much to tell you in such a short space of time, Sirius. Firstly, you must know that Dumbledore planned Lily and James's deaths and you will be the scapegoat even if I know it was not your fault,' Perenelle said quietly.

'How do you know it wasn't me? Everyone was supposed to think it was me! I was their secret keeper.'

'Lily was a Ghost,' the tall woman said.

'Lily is no ghost,' Sirius snapped before the tense of Perenelle's sentences betrayed the complicated alternate meaning of the phrase. 'Merlin. You meant to say that Lily Evans Potter was a member of a group that is considered, even by Albus Dumbledore, to be a myth.'

'I established the group to train individuals who needed extraordinary skills. By the time Harry is ready to go to _Sans Belles Baguettes__ Magiques_, you will be a Ghost as well.'

'But Ghosts are more feared than hit wizards. They can go anywhere, unnoticed. Do anything, and leave the Auror's confused as to what happened at the crime scene. They are… Lily, James's Lily could not have been a Ghost. They are… '

'Everything and nothing.'

'But not Lily. Lily wouldn't hurt a fly,' Sirius chocked, absently rocking Harry in his arms before wincing at his comment remembering a number of Lily's less than gentle attacks on his person.

'Lily was connected to the Fidilus charm that kept her family hidden. She felt it fall moments after Wormtail told his master and sent a message to me requesting help with her skills. From the moment I received the note I have been planning to receive Harry, knowing that I would be too late to save Lily and James.'

'Do you know the contents of the prophecy?' Sirius asked. 'I am his godfather and I don't even know the contents.'

'I don't know the full contents, only some but I am his Ghost training godmother who knows just about everything of importance,' Perenelle said with a glare. 'Of course I know of the prophecy even if Lily and James didn't tell me. But what worries me right now is Dumbledore's plans for Harry, his weapon, since Dumbledore is the only person who knows the whole thing and can manipulate it how he likes.'

'What are his plans?' Sirius growled.

'Never you mind, Siri Black, never you mind. Right now you need to know a number of things on very short notice.'

'Like what?' Sirius asked, disgruntled at the use of his pet name by Perenelle.

'I am better known as Perenelle Flamel,' she replied morphing into the older, recognisable figure of Perenelle Flamel and then back to her true state. 'And before you ask, all Ravenclaws have the ability to morph, but since the line has become so watered and inbred it is currently considered a rare ability.'

'So, my cousin's daughter has the ability because her father is muggleborn.'

'Correct.'

'And if I marry a muggle born my children will most likely have the ability?'

'Yes.'

'Wicked,' Sirius grinned, using a handkerchief to wipe the blood off Harry's forehead, revealing for the first time the lightening bolt scar. 'Hang on. Keep explaining. You're Flamel's wife.'

'My husband,' Perenelle began using air quotes around the term husband. 'Is not really my husband. Soon after he created the first Philosophers Stone, Nicholas caught onto the fact that I was ageless and being a descendent of one of my many sisters, he quickly put rumours and logic together to realise that I was one of his removed aunts. I explained my predicament, which I will explain to you later, and we chose to become 'husband' and 'wife' in a companionable relationship to prevent loneliness.'

'That makes sense,' Sirius nodded. 'Why didn't you just get together?'

'Nicho is homosexual and being female and physically a great deal younger than him when we met really didn't influence his ways.'

'A relationship of convenience then,' Sirius nodded in understanding.

'Yes.'

'Will you explain this plan of yours to me, Perenelle?' Sirius asked, looking around before throwing his bloodied handkerchief into a shadowy corner.

'The elf for this wing, commonly called the locked wing is Tich, she will be instructed to answer to your. That is the first thing you will have to remember,' Perenelle replied standing up and helping Sirius off the sofa. 'There is a kitchen through that door and well you can see the dining room,' Perenelle laughed pointing at the dining table on the other side of the open living area. 'Come, we better get our godson cleaned up.'

Sirius followed Perenelle into a wide hall with many doors before entering the second door on the right. Walking into the large bathroom designed to compensate for a small child or baby. Sirius placed Harry onto the flat cushion already set out and began to undress the child while Perenelle ran the bath.

'There is only a short period of time I can remain here. You are able to look after Harry on your own for a week or two aren't you?' Perenelle asked as a huge blue, black and silver phoenix appeared by the bath and began crying tears into it. 'You have changed his nappy before haven't you?'

'I have changed his nappy and I will do what ever I have to, to keep him safe and well, even if it means changing his nappy which I have avoided previously.' Sirius watched as the woman, ancient in years, but not a day over nineteen in appearance picked up Harry and began to bathe their godson. 'I need to know the plan, Penny.'

'My plan is that you stay here with Harry. Nicholas is old and will pass on in the next few days since he destroyed his stone to keep it away from Voldemort. He will die and I shall play the hysterical widow. Muggles will watch me leap from a bridge or cliff or in front of one of their buses. Then I will return here to help raise Harry.'

'Why just not stay here now?'

'If I disappear now,' Perenelle replied. 'Dumbledore will know something is amiss with Harry. I can't do that.'

Sirius nodded quietly. 'Lily knew who you were?'

'Yes, she discovered she was of Ravenclaw blood because of me.'

'I am also, through my paternal grandmother's line.'

'You are the direct heir to the primary fortune, actually.'

'Cool,' Sirius whispered. 'But it won't do me much if Dumbledore is going to frame me.'

Perenelle said nothing as she lifted the child out of the bath and dried him. Putting him into a nappy, she then clothed him jumpsuit pyjamas before handing him to Sirius.

'I will be back when I can,' Perenelle whispered. 'I will leave E with you in case something happens. You will be able to call her if there is an emergency. Please stay within the wing until I return. Be safe and look after Harry, Siri.'

After giving Sirius, a peck on the cheek Perenelle Ravenclaw orbed away in a flash of blue light.

'Who is E?' Sirius wondered allowed cradling the sleeping child in his arms. The phoenix in the corner began to sing. 'I think the phoenix is named E, Harry.'

Walking out the bathroom door Sirius began to look around. Moving back along the corridor to the room they had arrived in Sirius looked around. It was large with comfortable, practical chairs and simple yet elegant furniture. Windows faced each other on parallel walls and after peering out the dining room side Sirius determined from the gloom that they were on the second or third storey in a guest wing of a large manor. Walking beside the glass wall and then the traditional cream coloured wall it met, Sirius looked over the room before walking up to a large portrait of fruit.

'I wonder, Harry,' Sirius whispered before reaching out and tickling the pear. 'Not the pear then.' After spending a few minutes tickling the various fruits in the image, Sirius poked the largest purple grape in frustration to have it disappear under his touch. Smiling, Sirius retracted his finger and watched the grape return to its normal painted state before he poked it again. Slipping his finger into the hole, Sirius bent his digit and tugged pulling the portrait open to reveal a spacious kitchen.

'The Marauders live on,' Sirius laughed to himself before stumbling over a tiny house elf with a button nose wearing a brown skirt and pale blue shirt.

'Is Master be needing anything? Can Tich help Master?'

'Tich. No. I was just looking as to where everything was,' Sirius replied, noting the Ravenclaw crest embroidered onto the creature's shirt and skirt.

'Tich shall give Master a tour of the kitchen and storage areas and then Master Siri will leave. And he will stay out of Tich's domain.'

Sirius laughed as the small elf gave his glossed over tour of the long thin area that made up the end of the building before shooing him back out into the main living area.

'Come on, Harry,' Sirius yawned. 'I better get us to bed.'

Walking through the double doors and back into the hallway Sirius checked the first door on the right to find a guest room decked out in Ravenclaw blue. Skipping the next door which was the bathroom Sirius found the room set up as a nursery, painted a soothing olive green, with red toned wood darker olive and crisp white to carry out the bedroom theme. Walking to the centre of the room, Sirius lay the sleeping Harry down in the cot before dimming the candles and leaving the child to sleep.

The next room was large as well, decked out in Slytherin green and gold. Looking around Sirius saw that the room had a decidedly lived in feel. He could see where someone had sat on the edge of the made bed leaving wrinkles in the fabric and the messy state of the desk. Ignoring the doors at the far end of the room and wondering where the inhabitant was, Sirius backed out into the hall.

Walking past the large double doors, which led to the rest of the house, Sirius felt the protective magic wafting of the area and realising that the spells that had been used to keep him away were most likely foreign to him he walked away. Wondering why he had actually stepped away Sirius realised that in the last few hours he had grown up and found a purpose in life. The irresponsible daredevil was gone. Frowning slightly Sirius looked at the four doors on the left hand side of the hall.

'I have responsibilities now, to my godson,' Sirius said sadly. 'I'll leave all the adventuring until I have someone to help me care for Harry or he is old enough to come with me.'

Uncharacteristically turning his back on the doors and adventure Sirius began looking in the doors on the other side of the corridor. Moving on to the next door Sirius touched the handle on before leaping away as a shock flew up his arm leaving his limb tingling and hand numb. Stepping back Sirius looked at the door warily when Tich popped up beside him and handed him a note.

_Siri,_ it read.

_I am writing this quickly before I travel to Godric's Hollow this dreadful Halloween night. I hope that I have explained the most important things to you and have left you to care for our godson. I am obviously not at home and you are obviously exploring._

_You may claim any room as your own except the one decorated in green and gold, and the one that is obviously my own. I ask that you stay out of both rooms. You may look for a moment but DO NOT TOUCH. _

_This is my office, where I deal with the many people that comprise our family and the Ghosts. I ask that you stay out unless invited in. You will learn everything in good time._

_Look after Harry well._

_Penny._

'Well, not going in the office then,' Sirius sighed walking to the next door and opening it. Inside was a distinctly feminine room with soft azure- grey drapes and fabrics in a variety of textures. At the end of the room were two doors that, Sirius presumed led into the office and a bathroom. Exiting Perenelle's room Sirius checked the next room and found a large room that had the same furniture to the green and gold bedroom except was furnished in chocolate brown, burnt orange and deep sea blue. The room behind the final door on the hall was furnished similarly to the other the rooms and decorated in the same colours as the room he had in his family residence as a teenager, black with merlot red trimmings. Deciding that the room held too many similarities to be comfortable with Sirius moved back to the brown, orange and blue room, almost directly opposite Harry's nursery and opened the door.

'Tich!' Sirius called.

'Yes, Master Siri.'

'When Harry wakes in the morning will you bring him in here and serve both of us breakfast in bed, please?'

The small elf nodded before placing a pair of pants on the bed beside Sirius where he had flopped before vanishing. Sirius frowned to himself and quickly stripped off his clothes. Running across the hall to quickly use the bathroom, Sirius made his way back to his room before sliding between the cool sheets. As he drifted of to sleep a solitary tear slipped down his cheek.

III

III


	2. 2 Death

III

Tricks, Ghosts and a Very Different Life

III

Two - Death

III

After leaving Ravenclaw Castle, Perenelle rushed to Sirius Black's small bachelor pad and cast and ancient version of the fidilus charm over the rooms. Entering inside she grabbed a small duffel bag and magicked everything she thought that the young man would need into it. Moving around the apartments Perenelle cleaned it, disposed of all the food and left it in a cleanly state before apparating to the Flamel Estate.

Upon reaching her rooms in the main house, Perenelle called her phoenix and the large blue, silver and black bird promptly arrived.

'Equinox, I need you to watch over them both until I arrive home. Take this bag for Sirius, please.'

The bird trilled softly and disappeared.

Perenelle gathered her Ancient Greek styled robes and moved out of her rooms and into the hall. Walking down it she arrived outside a pair of doors and knocked.

'Penny?'

'It's me.'

'Come in.'

Perenelle walked into the room and saw her pseudo-husband propped up in bed.

'Good. You are here. I need to talk with you.'

Perenelle conjured a chair next to the bed and sat down.

'I wish to leave the estate to the next person in the Flamel line.'

'And?'

'I am worried about what you will do.'

'Nicho,' Perenelle said, 'We have never had any secrets. We helped each other out when we needed to all those years ago. We have been companions for six centuries. You are one of the few who knows my true history. You know I can take care of myself. We are not even truly married but for appearances I have a plan that many shall believe.'

'I still feel some what guilty leaving you nothing after all these years,' Nicholas Flamel whispered.

'You have given me more than you can imagine. A long lasting friendship is something remarkable for someone who is one thousand years old. You split the property between your ancestors. It is theirs by blood.'

'You know they will watch you closely after I begin my next adventure.'

'You mean Albus,' Perenelle hissed. 'Write him a letter explaining nothing.'

'I have,' Nicholas replied with a weak smile pointing at the pile of letters on his desk. 'I wish I hadn't destroyed the stone.'

'You had to Nicholas. You and I both know that it was slowly poisoning you and that Tom Riddle would have come after it eventually.'

'I am aware of all the reasons.'

'Then calm.'

'Penny.'

'Yes, Nicho,'

'Promise me that you will one day marry and have children.'

'Count on it, my old friend. After them our charade of convenience will be the next most important thing in my life till the end of my days.'

'So, how do you plan on erasing yourself from history this time?' the alchemist asked with a small smile which soon became a hacking cough.

'I plan to go as the grieving widow and jump off a bridge, cliff or in front of something the Muggles call a truck or bus. Then everyone will discover that Perenelle Flamel never existed and she will become a mystery in herself, making you a mystery also by association.'

'We shall be talked about for the next decade. Do tell them the truth at some stage.'

'I shall Nicholas,' Perenelle said leaning in and kissing her companion on the forehead. 'Watch Dumbledore carefully if he comes to visit.'

'What have the Ghosts done?'

'Nothing.'

'What have you done?'

Penerelle gave a tinkling laugh. 'Meddled,' she replied as she made her way out the door, headed for her own rooms and bed.

III

Nicholas Flamel died four days after Lily and James Potter did. On the seventh day Nicholas was buried with the ceremony being presided over by Albus Dumbledore.

The morning before the ceremony, Perenelle put on her usual 'Perenelle Flamel' disguise and promptly aged it and made it look more haggard. She then called her familiar and had it take all the boxes of her possessions across the channel to the Ravenclaw Manor.

Perenelle never thought herself much of an actor but if she could put it simply, Nicholas's funeral would have been her winning moment. After her companion had been buried she had been escorted to her rooms by an overly cheerful and annoying Albus Dumbledore who promptly advised a great deal of rest and a good meal or two.

The moment the old coot had left Perenelle began to sat in place the last pieces of her plan. Leaving the large house just before sunset, Perenelle was sure to trip all the fresh monitoring wards Dumbledore had placed before she apparated to Dover, and its white cliffs. Walking over to an edge she began to set up anti- apparition wards and settled down to wait for Dumbledore.

Feeling at least two apparators slide over her wards Perenelle looked up and saw Dumbledore and Frank Longbottom running towards her across the fields while a number of Muggles stood back.

'What do you want?' she shrieked to the two men.

'Perenelle come away from the edge,' Dumbledore said loud enough to be heard.

Their shouting had attracted the attention another handful of Muggles who were in the next field which pleased Perenelle to no end. Soon she had at least five people running at her.

'Why should I go on, Mr Dumbledore? Nicholas is dead.'

'Please, just come away from the edge, Ma'am,' Longbottom begged.

'I am sorry,' Perenelle replied standing up. 'It's my time to go. But there is no need to worry. I will return. I always do.'

The six muggles, Dumbledore and Longbottom watched as Perenelle threw herself over the edge of the famous cliffs. Casting furiously Perenelle fell down until she hit the water with next to no impact on herself but a huge splash from for effect. Sinking to the bottom of the ocean she quickly removed her robes and using magic attached them to a large rock catching one of the lace sleeves to the uneven surface. Pushing off propelling herself manually as she had left her wand on the sea bed, Perenelle quickly found the under water passages up into the cliff and following one she soon herself gasping in huge lungfuls of air.

'Equinox!' The huge phoenix appeared beside her shivering mistress. 'Take me home and then return here to watch what happens.'

The phoenix began to sing before it flared and transported Perenelle into the more feminine rooms of the Ravenclaw Castle Upper Wing. The bird continued to sing as Perenelle crawled toward the shower recess in her underwear and turned on the hot water.

'Don't do that!' Sirius yelled pulling Perenelle out from under the spray with one arm while holding Harry to his hip with the other. 'You have to start cold otherwise the risk of illness is a lot higher.'

Shutting off the hot tap and turning the cold on full force Sirius pushed the young woman back in the shower before placing Harry out of harms way in the bathtub.

'Tich!'

'Yes, Master.'

'Warm all the towels and warm the bed but first bring me a pepper up potion,' Sirius ordered rolling up his shirtsleeves and turning the hot tap on slightly and the cold off a little.

Sirius continued in this process for half an hour until the shower was warm. He handed vial after vial of potion to Perenelle who accepted them and drank quickly without question.

'Wash yourself and dry yourself off magically then wrap yourself in the towels and call me in.'

'Why do you know to do this?' Perenelle asked still shivering.

'I pushed Lily in the Hogwarts Lake once too often and had to go through a similar process.'

Perenelle nodded and let Sirius close the shower door. She watched as his outline picked up the baby and left the room leaving the door slightly ajar. Slowly, Perenelle began to wash her hair slowly warming the shower before she removed her underwear and washed her body. Shutting the shower off Perenelle then use her second wand to dry herself and her hair before wrapping the large warm towels around her slender frame.

'Here,' Sirius said sticking his hand through the gap made by the unclosed door. 'Put these on quickly.'

Perenelle took the warmed flannel pyjamas and socks and quickly pulled them on before opening the door.

'Into bed,' Sirius urged nudging the young woman across the room and in between the sheets. 'Now use Harry as a hot water bottle until I come back.'

Perenelle smiled weakly as the small boy cuddled into her. Wrapping her arms around him, she slowly fell asleep.

III

When Perenelle awoke it was daylight and by going by Sirius and Harry's clothes a different day. Both were asleep in a chair by her bed.

Rolling over Perenelle's feet hit something which fell to the floor in a crash. She watched as Sirius opened one eye.

'You could have just called out,' he said sitting up properly and handing over Harry. 'Why does he call you Pen?'

'That's the name Lily and I taught him.'

'You saw him a lot?'

'I am a Ghost,' she replied simply, sitting up and pulling the toddler into her lap. 'How long have I been out?'

'Twenty four hours.'

Perenelle nodded.

'What are we going to do now?'

'We are going to bring up Harry as best we can.'

III

III


	3. 3 History

III

Tricks, Ghosts and a Very Different Life

III

Three – History

III

Harry Potter slept peacefully on his Godmother's chest, one month after arriving at Ravenclaw Castle. Perenelle had a book resting lightly on his back as she read and Sirius flipped through a large tome in a nearby armchair.

'Penny, how am I meant to learn French quickly enough to be able to deal with our extended family in a month?' Sirius whined, referring to the imminent Ravenclaw family Christmas Eve ball.

'I know a way to teach you but it is considered to be illegal magic.'

'Was it illegal when you learnt the spell?'

'No.'

'Just teach me then.'

'No. This is something you have to learn on your own, Sirius.'

'Harry is one and a bit and speaks better French than me after one month!'

'He is a child. His brain is wired to learn.'

'I am an adult. I should be doing this more quickly.'

'It doesn't always work like that, Siri,' Perenelle laughed.

'Shut up,' Sirius glowered before snapping his book shut. 'Tell me about you. And your story.'

'Is that a request or a demand,' Perenelle asked raising an eyebrow.

'A badly worded request,' Sirius admitted blushing slightly. 'Please, explain all this too me. I'll remember it and one day show it all to Harry with a pensive when he is old enough.'

'Why should I?' Perenelle asked. Sirius looked at the woman opposite him and frowned slightly before summoning a book and opening it at a marked page.

'They say that Perenelle Ravenclaw died at nineteen due to the failure of one of Roweena's spells, but I heard whispers she is an ageless beauty. Walking beside as all as a guiding hand when we need direction. Never seen but always there, like an invisible ghost,' Sirius read. 'This was the only thing I could find in any of the libraries in the house and there are too many coincidences in this passage for it not to be discarded, Penny.'

'You tell me your story first.'

'Fine.'

III

Sirius lay back on the deck chair on the roof top garden, the inhabitants of the upper wing used, a chilled bottle of butter beer in his hand. Despite the cool autumn air outside, inside their spell bubble, the little garden it felt like the middle of summer. As such Perenelle was in a pair of cut off short denim shorts and a bikini top on her chair, while Sirius had on a pair of loose fitting trunks and shades. Harry was sitting in the middle of a five centimetre deep pond between his godparents naked and happily splashing the surface of the water.

'My story goes something like this. My father was the eldest son of the house, not as dark as my grandparents but a dabbler in the Dark Arts none the less. He was forced to marry mother, the middle daughter of a dark line, not as old as our own but there none the less. I was born after five years of marriage and declared heir to the family, my brother Regulus was born five years later.'

'We all got on well for the first years of my life but as I grew and read more widely the beliefs instilled in me as a boy slowly changed. By the time I got to Hogwarts I was a non-believer in what the dark had to offer. So, when the sorting hat landed on my head I was given the same offer my father was. I could go to Slytherin and succumb to my family or I could go to Gryffindor and be proud of who I was. The hat and I discussed things for a few minutes before I chose to be a Gryffindor, to hell with the consequences. I loved every minute of my time at Hogwarts. I became good friends with James and Remus and Peter tagged along more often than not till we just accepted his presence. Once I got home it started going down hill. I was no longer the golden son but due to old laws the only way I could loose my position as heir of the Ancient and Nobel House of Black was through death.'

'I was abused by my mother, verbally and physically, ignored by my father, because, I think I was a symbol of what he could have become, and I had a troublesome relationship with Gus from then on. The pattern continued and Regulus started Hogwarts and was sorted into Slytherin despite being a natural Ravenclaw. My home life kept on its downward spiral. Then the summer after my sixteenth birthday I moved out. Went and lived with James. I spoke with Gus from time to time at school. Begged him on a number of occasions not to be tempted by Voldemort and his lies but it was all to no avail. My little brother joined Voldemort after his seventeenth birthday, the end of his sixth year.'

'Everything went quickly after that. The war took off. We were pushed through Auror academy. We fought. People we knew died. Harry was born,' Sirius paused to smile and waved at his godson who had looked up at the mention of his name. 'We fought. Gus died for betraying Voldemort. James and Lily went into hiding. Then it was that Halloween.'

'I think you left some things out,' Perenelle whispered softly. 'But I get the gist.'

'Yeah,' Sirius replied swigging away on his bottle.

'Do you miss Regulus?'

'Yes.'

'Do you regret not fighting for him, to keep your brother safe and alive?'

'Everyday.'

Perenelle summoned Tich and ordered a plate of fruit and drinks for all. When the small hose elf returned they all ate for a minute, Sirius and Perenelle taking turns at handing Harry pieces of pineapple and rockmelon, before Sirius deepened the pool and climbed in, holding Harry while he splashed around. Slipping out of her shorts, Perenelle climbed in the pool too.

'It was just after my sixteenth birthday and I had been fiddling around with a few potions and spells in my experimenting rooms, in this wing downstairs below ground.'

'What is just downstairs? Other than the library?'

'The garden end of the wing holds a large entertaining room, for cocktail parties, private gatherings and the like. It's a beautiful place in summer. Anyway, one afternoon my mother, Rowena Ravenclaw, came in to see how I was doing and found me in a trance, spouting out my own prophecy. I collapsed and knocked over one of my cauldrons and was covered in the potion. Mama put a statis charm over me, called Daddy, my two older brothers, and two older sisters and together they tried to work out what I was brewing. To this day, I don't know what it was. I remember that I had been experimenting with this and that then I remember waking up in my room, my family at my side.'

'Daddy, Luc Saint Jacques, was one of the best potion masters in France at the time and between him and Mama, they decided that there must have been nothing wrong. Time passed and I didn't age at all. On what would have been my nineteenth birthday one of my brothers, you forefather, tested my ages. Biologically I was still sixteen, but mentally I was nineteen. They worked out that the potion and the statis charm reacted to slowdown my biological aging with one year real time being one day, my time. They got older and died and I was left behind with the body of a sixteen year old and the mind of approximately twenty- one or two. And ever since I have been here. Aging slowly.'

'I made myself vanish from history, my death was never confirmed and my family have never said anything. I resurfaced every so often. The first time, sixty years after the death of my last sibling as Polly Saint Claire, sweet maker and after a couple of decades I disappeared again. More often than not I used my father's name abroad. I learnt things. I worked. I created. I created the British Department of Mysteries and all the branched thereof and carefully monitor and control all happenings within those walls. I started the Prophecy Hall and eventually created the time turner there. When conflicts arose I began training my Ghosts and then that became my primary focus. I found the challenge rewarding.'

'Then I met Nicho, Nicholas Flamel. He discovered my secret soon after the creation of the Philosophers Stone as I had been hinting about what a life centuries long was really like. He wrote that passage you read earlier under a pseudonym. Nicho was homosexual, which is not a widely known fact. I agreed to pose a his wife so that I would have a companion for a substantial period of time and wouldn't have to keep reinventing myself as most assumed that I had drunk from his stone. When Voldemort rose and it became apparent he was seeking immortality we chose to destroy the stone. Nicho had had enough of life and was ready for his next adventure and so he went, just a few days after Voldemort lost his body. He and I were good friends until the end.'

'Voldemort lost his body?' Sirius said warily.

'I don't think that Voldemort is truly gone, Siri. But it will take years to prove and discover the truth. In that time, we can help mould Harry into the best person we can so he may fulfil his prophecy like I shall fulfil mine one day.'

'Harry had a prophercy?'

'I believe it was the reason Lily and James went into hiding.'

'Voldemort was after Harry and not them at all.'

'Correct, but neither of us know the contents of the globe. We have to wait until Harry is of an age that he can retrieve the sphere for himself.'

'In the mean time we will be prepared.'

'Would you be willing to be a Ghost?'

'Yes. I'll do anything to protect Harry.'

'First we have to clear your name, Sirius.'

'How are we going to do that?'

'Well, we will start by training you up and introducing you to a few friends of mine.'

'When do we start, Penny?'

'Later. Right now I am going to relax for awhile and teach my godson to swim with your help.'

'Sounds reasonable,' Sirius replied, splashing water at Perenelle and his godson.

III

III 


	4. 4 Meetings

III

Tricks, Ghosts and a Very Different Life

III

Four - Meetings

III

Christmas Eve morning arrived and Sirius reluctantly dragged himself out of bed knowing that come noon the house would be filling with French speaking relatives. Padding softly into Harry's room Sirius found that the toddler was already awake and standing up in his cot, waiting for someone to claim him.

'Goodmorning, Harry,' Sirius greeted, picking Harry up and taking him into their shared bathroom.

'Pa'foo'!' the little boy cried out delightedly.

Sirius looked at his godson for a moment before pulling off his nappy and checking it. Dry.

'Way to go, Harry!' Sirius cheered holding his hand up for a high five, which Harry met with his own tiny hand. Putting Harry down on the floor, Sirius grabbed his wand and shrunk the toilet down to Harry size, and helped the boy to sit down on it, naked, as he had stripped off the rest of his pyjamas.

Letting Harry sit on the toilet Sirius ran the bath and yelled out as Equinox flamed into the room.

'Hey E,' Sirius greeted as the bird dropped a single tear into the bath. Sirius almost swore he saw the bird smile as Harry waved from his position on his throne. 'Go get Penny, please.'

The large blue and black bird vanished and Sirius stripped off his own pyjama shirt, throwing it and Harry's clothes into the hamper.

'E said you wanted me,' Perenelle said poking her head around the bathroom door.

'Sure did, Penny Pen Pen Pen,' Sirius replied tossing Harry dry nappy to her. The woman examined the item for a moment before turning to Harry and gushing at him in French of which Sirius only understood a little. The little boy giggled in pleasure before replying in his own childish French. Sirius finished off getting the bath ready while Perenelle helped Harry wipe his bottom and flush the toilet.

'I didn't know that kids his age could do that,' Sirius told Perenelle once Harry was splashing around in the bath.

'It's all to do with will. Harry knows that if he does something right we will praise him and spoil him. If he does something wrong he knows he will get punished. Harry is very much like Lily, always wanting to please. I am assuming his magic helps him do things so we will be proud of him. No doubt he will start being dry often but on the mornings he isn't he will probably be upset. We will just have to pretend that nothing is wrong and only get angry if he does something naughty.'

'Will do,' Sirius nodded. 'Can you come back and get him in fifteen minutes so I can take a shower?'

'Sure. Bye Harry.'

Harry waved happily as his godmother left.

'Who's the most handsome boy in the world?' Sirius asked Harry, once the boy had a shampoo Mohawk.

'Harry!' he cheered.

'Yay!'

Soon, Harry's bath was over and Sirius had dried him off and dressed him in his good black pants, socks and shoes and a singlet.

'We will put your shirt on after breakfast ok, Prongslet,' Sirius told Harry, who was more interested in playing with some of his bath toys. 'Right-o, let's get you off to Penny for breakfast.'

'Brea'fast!'

'I take it he's hungry,' Perenelle smiled walking in the room. 'Tu es faim, ma petit prince?'

'Tres!' Harry declared. 'Vit! Vit, Siri!'

'I'll be there as quick as I can,' Sirius promised, turning on the shower to heat up the water as Harry and Perenelle left.

Turning to the mirror, Sirius whipped out his wand and did a quick shaving spell, to remove his beard, before jumping in the shower. Washing quickly Sirius climbed out, drying himself roughly before using a spell to finish the job. Wiping the mirror down he looked at his long hair. Using his wand again Sirius cut most of the length off giving himself a new look, as if he was a surfer with longish hair, that had just come out of the waves. Sirius grinned and dried his hair before pulling on his bottle green pants, black shoes and socks. Throwing a singlet over his head, Sirius headed out to breakfast.

As he entered the room he heard Penny talking to Harry in French and Harry responding, before the boy looked up and gasped at his godfather's appearance.

'Looking good, Sirius,' Penny complimented.

'You are also looking very lovely, Penny' Sirius replied with a nod, towards her golden robes and the ivory dress beneath.

'Lovely,' Harry echoed.

'En Francais?' Sirius asked his godson.

'Bella beautiful!'

'Close enough,' Sirius grinned as the colour rose in Perenelle's cheeks.

'You shouldn't encourage him.'

'Why not?' He's going to be a lady killer one day.'

'And he already knows it.'

'Never mind.'

The trio quickly finished breakfast and Penny whisked Harry away to finish getting him dressed. Sirius swept off to his own room and pulled on a black shirt and rolled the cuffs up showing off his tanned forearms before throwing on sleeveless bottle green robes with gold embroidery.

Moving into the bathroom, Sirius quickly cleaned his teeth, did his and finished getting ready. Harry joined him to clean his own teeth before the two met Perenelle out in the hall.

'It's ten past twelve, Sirius.'

'You were the one who said we could sleep in this morning,' Sirius retorted picking up Harry, who was dressed in silvery robes with green embroidery the same colour as his eyes.

'True,' Perenelle replied, guiding the trio out the doors to the locked wing and out into the main part of the house.

It took ten minutes for the group to reach the formal entertaining area on the opposite side of the castle and once they passed through the doors they were practically attacked by various very distant relatives.

Perenelle took a moment to welcome everyone and explain part of Sirius and Harry's situation before the one hundred and fifty odd guests made their way into the dining room for lunch. Harry was seated with Perenelle and Sirius on either side and their backs to a wall, which reassured Sirius somewhat. With them on their table were the people described at the black sheep of the family, those not interested in books and studying, those interested in sports, those who had disgraced their family in someway and those with out magic.

A number of witches sat on the table as well as a number of wizards. Sirius was able to talk quidditch with two brothers, familiar with English, who had chosen to play the game professionally, along with a distant female cousin. But the person who intrigued Sirius the most was the woman sitting on his left.

Genevieve spoke flawless English and was a teacher of languages for small children. She was attractive with straight dark brown hair, large brown eyes and plump pink lips. Sirius had noted that Genevieve was most definitely shorter than him, but she still had long pale legs, and thin, elegant arms.

The pair spoke almost consistently when Sirius wasn't talking about quidditch, and he soon discovered that she was afraid of flying after falling off a broom as a young girl. They also learnt that Genevieve was the only one staying in the castle for the vacation without other family members. Perenelle had been the one to invite her to spend Christmas day with them and Genevieve had gladly accepted.

After dinner, the dancing had begun and Sirius took the opportunity to dance with a number of women, young and old, to get to know them better while also stopping to have a whiskey and a cigarette with the men in the crowd. As the evening wound up, Sirius caught a dance with Perenelle, and therefore Harry whom had alternated between their sides the whole evening, and Genevieve who happened to be a very talented dance in both ballroom and Latin.

The Ravenclaw- Saint- Jacques's then took their leave, flooing or apparating to their various homes, with only one young married couple choosing to remain the night in the castle before leaving for their vacation in Australia the following day. After the last guest had left, their bag of presents in tow, Genevieve, Perenelle, Sirius and Harry all went upstairs. Perenelle showed Genevieve into a suite close to the locked wing before the trio themselves returned to their rooms to sleep.

III

Sirius woke the following day to Harry landing on his rather full bladder as the sun barely poked its head over the horizon.

'Harry!' Sirius exclaimed scooping up the boy and depositing him on the floor. 'Now I have to go to the toilet.'

'Hurry up. Presents,' Harry urged pushing Sirius into the bathroom, before heading to his shrunken basin to wash his face. After washing his hands, Sirius did the same before slipping on his dressing gown from behind the bathroom door and making Harry put on his.

Walking hand in hand into the living room, Sirius was surprised to find Perenelle sitting there talking to a half awake Genevieve whose tousled hair looked rather appealing to Sirius.

'Merry Christmas, ladies.'

'Merry Christmas,' Genevieve replied while Perenelle jumped up and began covering a giggling Harry in kisses.

'Penny got you up did she?' Sirius asked as he sat down on the ground beside Harry and the Christmas Tree.

'Apparently I have to do Christmas your way, the British way, which means opening presents at ungodly hours in pyjamas.'

'We will also be eating out breakfast in said pyjamas,' Sirius replied handing over a gift.

Soon coloured paper littered the floor and the for were playing or looking over their Christmas gifts, until Harry's little stomach let out a loud rumble.

'I think we'd better eat,' Sirius announced before blowing a raspberry on Harry's tummy and making him laugh. 

'Brilliant idea,' Perenelle announced getting up and leading the way to the table.

As they ate, the conversation remained light and happy as they discussed their plans for the rest of the day, and then the rest of their holidays. Once it was learnt that Genevieve was searching for a new apartment, Perenelle and Sirius took it upon themselves to convince her to live in the castle with them, joining them in the locked wing for all meals. The brunette gladly accepted and disappeared for the afternoon as she began packing up her home in preparation for the move. Sirius began reading some of his new books, especially the ones Perenelle had given him to help with his training to become a Ghost, while she and Harry spent the entire afternoon testing out his new toys and reading from his new books together.

After that time flew by.

III

III


	5. 5 Revenge

III

Tricks, Ghosts and a Very Different Life

III

Five - Revenge

III

Little Harry Potter shrieked with laughter as he spun around the lawn on his first broomstick, closely guarded by his godparents and a number of their French relations who had assembled at the Ravenclaw Castle for Harry's third birthday party. Genevieve sat by the drinks table her hand resting on her round stomach, as Sirius sat by her side catering to her every whim. Perenelle stood close to where Harry was flying a slice of chocolate cake balanced on the plate in her hand as she hugged the departing guests goodbye with the other.

'Harry, it's time to go in,' Perenelle called.

The little boy frowned and protested for a moment before gracefully landing and letting Sirius pick him up to carry him back inside.

'Merci,' Harry said quietly resting his head on Sirius's shoulder, tired after his long day.

'Avec plaisir,' Genevieve replied with a large smile.

'Dinner, Harry?'

'Spaghetti please, Penny.'

'A little bit or a lot?'

'A little bit for me, a lot for Padfoot.'

'Ok,' Genevieve laughed, banishing Harry's presents into his room and going into the dining room.

Sirius placed Harry on the floor and the boy climbed up onto the couch next to his godfather's partner, snuggling into her side, his ear on her stomach. Sirius disappeared to order dinner and Perenelle sat in a nearby armchair looking over the evening newspaper.

'Comment vas le bébé?' Harry asked Genevieve. _How is the baby?_

'Je pense elle dors.' _I think she's sleeping._

'C'était un grande jour,' the birthday boy nodded wisely. _It was a big day._

'Dinner will be here in ten minutes,' Sirius announced flopping on the couch, sandwiching Harry between the two adults.

'I'm hungry.'

'Are you tired, pup?'

'Yes,' Harry yawned.

'Cover your mouth when you do that buddy,' Sirius instructed, lifting Harry's arm so that his little hand covered his mouth.

'Sorry.'

'It's ok.'

'So, how did you like your broom?'

'It was great!' Harry enthused, lighting up. 'I love flying.'

'Good. Because when you are bigger, I'll help you train in your favourite quidditch position.'

'Really?' Harry asked.

'Sure,' his godfather replied.

'What do you want to be?' Perenelle asked.

'A Seeker or a beater or a chaser.'

'Not a keeper then,' Genevieve laughed.

'They don't fly enough,' Harry said with a shake of his head.

'Well when you are big and strong we will train you in the best position for you.'

'Yay!' Harry smiled, summoning a quidditch book wandlessly from his room. 'Read to me?'

Sirius accepted the book and read to his godson until their meal appeared on the table.

'Dinner is served,' Genevieve informed leading the way to the table and sitting down to eat.

The four ate quickly before Perenelle announced that it was time for Harry to go to bed. Harry slid off his chair and kissed Sirius and Genevieve goodnight before letting Perenelle lead him to the bathroom for a bath and to clean his teeth. Thirty minutes later he was tucked up in his bed, sound asleep.

'Did he go down ok?' Sirius asked as Perenelle reappeared.

'He was out like a light,' she replied. 'Genevieve, you can watch him while Sirius and I get organised and deal with…'

'Of course,' the other witch replied. 'You must do what you have to do.'

'Love you,' Sirius told his pregnant partner, kissing her temple. 'If all goes to plan we will be formally married by the weekend.'

Genevieve's eyes widened slightly. 'You mean our marriage will be formally recognised by the Ministries?'

'Cross your fingers,' Sirius replied kissing her gently and following Perenelle from the room and down the hall into her study.

'Are you ready for this, Sirius? This is the moment you have been training for.'

'After tonight I will be a fully fledged Ghost,' Sirius grinned. 'Nothing will stop me. Are all our French contacts ready?'

'They are only waiting for the suspect.'

'We better go get him then.'

Sirius slipped from the room and into his own to change into soft soled shoes that allowed unrestricted movement and close to form fitting woollen pants of dark grey. He then slipped a woollen jumper over his singlet and pulled the hood up over his head. A second deep hood was pulled from a draw and tied on masking Sirius's face from view before the man pulled on woollen gloves. Moving silently from his room, Sirius met up with Perenelle, who was wearing similar garb near the apparition point. Communicating with hand signals they left France.

III

Perenelle Ravenclaw slipped past the wards on the Burrow, the Weasley Family Home and silently made her way upstairs in the dead of night, Sirius at her heels. Casting a continuous spell the pair moved into the bedroom of the third Weasley son Percy, a room he shared with his pet rat. Sirius moved around the room and quickly located what they were looking for, curled up asleep in a nest of shredded paper in one corner of the desk. Sirius quickly stunned the creature using an ancient Latin spell to bind it. The rat was then slipped into his robe pocket and replaced with a dead copy conjured by Perenelle using an ancient spell. As silently as they came the intruders left, slipping past Molly Weasley as she made her way to the bathroom in the dim light.

III

An hour after leaving Ravenclaw Manor, Perenelle and Sirius arrived back in Paris outside the pick up point for the French Aurors. They waited six minutes before two burly men appeared and escorted them into the building.

'There has been a scuffle down in the experimentations rooms,' one man told them in accented English. 'You will have to wait here for le Chef to return.'

'We will wait.'

The two Ghosts sat unmoving until a diminutive woman returned with the man who had first spoken to them.

'Follow.'

The four walked into a room with a two way window and Sirius pulled out the rat. Perenelle stepped forward and place her wand to the temple of the other woman, and then to the Frenchman, withdrawing memories before beginning a ritual. After a few minutes the memories were banished into the rat and other mind adjusting incantations quickly used. The rat was then accepted by le Chef who entered the room and place the rat on the floor in clear view of the recording spells. The two then forced Peter Pettigrew to transform into his true self before administering Veritiserum. Perenelle and Sirius moved up and watched through the glass, the woman translating what she heard, as two quills near them moved simultaneously, one recording the interrogation in French, the other in English.

'He's admitting to trying to break into the locked experimentation department. He was looking for a way to bring back his master's body. They are asking him to explain everything since he joined the Death Eaters. Time at school with you, James and Remus. Spying on the Order of the Phoenix and Dumbledore for Riddle. What he knew about the prophecy. Being Lily and James's secret keeper. Betraying them. Framing you. Staying with the Weasleys in his rat form. Transfiguring another rat into a copy of himself and leaving England. His journey here. His failed attempt. They are asking him more questions about the break in. They are going to inform England. Good.'

The two Ghosts concealed themselves into a corner and prepared to wait. They took it in turns to doze and close to dawn a delegation from England arrived.

'Minister Cornelius Fudge, Supreme Mugwump Albus Dumbledore, Head Auror Alistair Moody, Senior Auror Rufus Scrimingeor, Wizengamot Chairman Horatio Greengrass.'

'They seem stunned.'

'They do,' Sirius smirked.

The two watched as the British Aurors questions Pettigrew to receive the same response with no signs of foul play.

'They want to take him back to England.'

'France won't let them will they?'

'No, but they can list the charges England wants to the end of their case. Pettigrew will be dead before the sun rises.'

'Dumbledore is working hard to get him freed.'

'Shh. Greengrass just mentioned your name. And something about the withdrawal of an Order of Merlin. Exhuming the fake body for examination. Revisiting the crime scene.'

'Pardon! I'm getting a pardon!'

'Fudge is a spineless idiot. He can't even see that he is being manipulated by the others.'

'I'm not surprised.'

'Full investigation.'

'Look the execution team. You have to admire the French for the way they stick to their laws.'

'Is that a guillotine?'

'Yes. And the law that dictates its use was updated less than five years ago.'

'They are almost as bad as the British when it comes to outdated and ridiculous laws and traditions.'

'You can say that again.'

'I feel happy but at the same time sad.'

'Know that you have your life back.'

The pair watched as Peter Pettigrew was decapitated by the blade and the area of the wound brushed with basilisk venom.

'He's dead.'

'Time for us to leave then. Le Chef will give us an update in a day of two. She knows how to pop by.'

'Then let's go.'

III

The inhabitants of the Locked Wing of Ravenclaw Manor were found in their roof top garden early the next morning lazing away the day. Perenelle rested in the shade reading a book and jotting down points in a notepad as she watched the others. Sirius hung in a hammock over the pond, his limbs sticking out at odd angles and snoring quietly. Genevieve and Harry sat in the pool with the older woman teaching the boy how to swim in the deeper areas of the pool. The sun was beginning to beat down when Tich appeared carrying the morning papers and a number of letters.

'Sirius!'

The black haired man absently raised his head and grunted before spotting the British newspapers in Perenelle's hands. Slowly he eased himself out of the hammock before helping Genevieve to stand and picking up Harry and walking over to where Perenelle had spread towels for them to sit upon beneath the tree.

'What do the papers say?' Genevieve asked quietly as Sirius methodically dried Harry who seemed to understand the solemnity of moment and remained quiet.

'It explains Pettigrew's story in the exact same way as the French papers did at breakfast,' the red haired Ravenclaw woman replied as she scanned over the words. 'There is emphasis on the fact Pettigrew faked his own death with the replica body and framed Sirius to shift the attention off himself, the body was exhumed and studied yesterday apparently. The Order of Merlin First Class has been revoked. Sirius Black… Are you ready?'

'Just read what it says, Penny.'

'Sirius Black, formally the most wanted wizard alive, who has been missing for the past two years has been granted a formal pardon by the British Ministry of Magic. Black is now recognised as Lord of his Ancient and Noble family and is now free to claim all previously withheld inheritances from Gringotts Wizarding Bank.'

'That's it?'

'They added that Wormtail denied that Black was ever a Death Eater and have a couple of other things in there. The fact he is Harry's godfather is one of them. They want to know what is going to happen to the Boy- Who- Lived and if he is going to rejoin the magical community at large.'

'Siri, you got your public apology, Lordship, your ancestral home and we can formalise our marriage before the baby is born.'

'Genevieve, it seems that we need to take a trip to London.'

'Do you mind if we all tag along?'

'The more the merrier. I should probably secure the house at Grimauld Place too to keep unwanted cousins out. And bring and exclude and number of people from the family.'

'I will contact Gringotts, shall I and organise an appointment for early this afternoon. I know just the Goblin to take care of things. It should take us long to pack and we could depart after lunch.'

'Gen? What do you think?'

'You will do what you have to, Sirius. And I will be at your side the entire time.'

'What about Harry and Penny?'

'A couple of glamour charms and we will look like your son and nanny or sister- in- law and my son, or advisor or any number of things.'

'I guess I have a lot to think about in the next few hours.'

'I think you do, Siri.'

III

It was late afternoon and the four stood just inside the hall to the Black Family home. Letters had been sent, Lordship formally claimed, a marriage formalised and a family members officially removed from the line. Now the four looked on the house where they were meant to stay the night.

'I think we should find a hotel,' Sirius suggested taking one look at the grimy house.

'I think that could be a wise idea,' Perenelle nodded. 'Sirius, you take Genevieve and Harry and set them up in a hotel for the evening and I will stay here and get started on cleaning.'

Sirius looked as if he would disagree for a moment before taking in how drained his wife and godson were. 'Be careful for Merlin's sake,' he stressed before ushering Genevieve and Harry from the house.

Perenelle listened to the door close behind her and took out her wand, quickly transforming it into a staff. Finding a specific flagstone, she cut her finger on a conjured knife letting some blood splash onto the stone. Feeling the wards recognise and accept her blood, Perenelle set about strengthening the establish wards on the home. Number Twelve Grimauld Place then began to change, the atmosphere becoming cleaner and less foul within minutes.

The witch then used her staff to conjure sandpaper and directing it to clean the walls and ceiling of the entrance hall. A box was created and all furniture in the vicinity was shrunk and placed inside and a portrait of a woman Perenelle recognised as Sirius's mother forcibly removed from the wall. Setting the box on the stairs, Perenelle then used her magic to scour the stone floors before transfiguring it into terracotta tiles. The sand paper finished its task and a cloth had been directed to wipe over the walls to reveal patchy blue-grey coloured paint. Conjuring more sandpaper, Perenelle directed it to begin sanding the staircase and all the downstairs hallways while she removed the house elf heads, portraits and other memorabilia from the walls and furniture out of the way. Locating the kitchen she placed everything within into another box and set the sandpaper to work in there as well.

'Penny?' Sirius called.

'I'll come to you.'

Sirius coughed as dust rained down on him making his hair grey. 'I think this is going to take a lot of work.'

'You don't say,' Perenelle replied in a moment of sarcasm.

'Lucky I stopped by a Muggle store on the way home to buy a couple of things.'

'Like what?'

'Paint, brushes, sandpaper, cloths, cleaning products to begin with,' Sirius announced placing the items in the middle of the floor as he withdrew them from his pockets and enlarged them.

'Well, that's a start,' Perenelle sighed.

III

Lord Sirius Black was confirmed in the Daily Prophet a week after coming forward, as had been arranged with the Goblins at London's Gringotts Bank. The following day it was announced that Andromeda Tonks and her daughter Nymphadora had been accepted back into the Black family and Bellatrix Lestrange had been formally removed. What surprised many who read the paper was pending removal of Narcissia Malfoy and her son Draco from the vaults. One week later it was announced that Lord Black had been seen at the bank when Narcissia Black's divorce from Lucius Malfoy had been formalised, due to the Malfoy family's failure to hold their end of the marriage contract, and it was announced that Draco Malfoy's biological mother was Bellatrix Lestrange and that the boy would be removed from the Black family immediately.

The new Miss Black spent the next fortnight in St Mungos hospital undergoing treatment for overexposure to the crucius, imperio and other, especially mind controlling curses, before being released into the custody of her cousin.

Sirius and Perenelle has spent weeks, clearing the Black Family Residence at Twelve Grimauld Place into a habitable place to live, making where they had cleaned by turning the carpet orange or the stone floors into terracotta tiled ones. After Narcissia had left hospital they had her and her sister, Andromeda help to redecorate the entire house, including the various wings for families who lived permanently within the walls, like the three Tonkses and Narcissia. After a month, the home was significantly more cheerful and habitable and two new house elves appeared ready for service.

Sirius for the most part chose to stay living with Genevieve, Perenelle and Harry in France, but allowing Narcissia and Andromeda to deal with the everyday tasks of the Black Family. Another month later, the first daughter of the Ancient and Noble House of Black was born, Carolin. She had her mother brown hair and he father's blue grey eyes and was an instant favourite with her god brother, Harry who spent hours a day babbling to the baby in French, English and variety of other languages.

Her daddy was as proud as punch.

III

III


	6. 6 Knowledge

6

III

Tricks, Ghosts and a Very Different Life

III

Six – Knowledge

III

By the time Harry was five he had discovered many of the secrets of the Locked Wing but was forbidden of speaking about them, except with the person they concerned. Sirius claimed that Harry was truly James's son, but Perenelle countered that it was Lily's inquisitive nature that was causing the problems. Either way, Harry knew a lot for a little boy and was well on his way to having a true Ravenclaw intellect.

He had discovered the existence of and met the wood elves who often spied for his godmother and quickly became friendly with many of the children who lived with their families on the edge of the Manor boundary. The elder elves also enjoyed Harry's company and his eager and attentive ways and thus they allowed Harry to join in the classes they provided for their youngerlings. Despite his human status and limitations, Harry quickly became one of the best duellers with a blade the old elf Araxion ever taught, seemingly having a natural ability with weapons.

Harry was also a gifted student to all who taught him, the elves, Perenelle, Sirius and Genevieve. He had an exceptional talent for languages, only needed to see and hear things once before committing them to memory. As such, Harry has a continuous thirst for knowledge, reading books in many languages, to learn even more. Sirius was, on more than one occasion upset by the fact Harry would rather read than prank their various distant relations who were occupying the house at that time.

As Harry had more to occupy his time, Sirius and Perenelle often spent a series of consecutive days away from the Manor and the Locked Wing as Ghosts, and Sirius often visited his cousins in London in an attempt to determine the state of the Black Family business. Other times, Andromeda, Ted and Nymphadora Tonks, joined by Narcissia Black visited the Ravenclaw Manor to enjoy a pleasant change of scenery. The three adults visited more often once Nymphadora started her magical education at Hogwarts.

The summer of Harry's fifth birthday, the boy divided his time between the elves and his family, before spending a good portion of the time spent with his family frolicking with Nymphadora, swimming, mock fighting sword battles with sticks, reading in the library and playing chess under the supervision of Ted and Sirius.

Many relatives whom Harry had charmed during his time in the Manor visited and celebrated his fifth birthday with in a lunchtime birthday party with all Harry's favourite foods and games being played.

A few days later, everything began to change.

III

'I need you to explain something to me, Penny,' Sirius called out after appearing back in the Ravenclaw Manor after a three day absence.

'What is it?'

'How come we have a Harry and Dumbledore has a Harry?' Perenelle turned around so not make eye contact with the irate Black Lord. 'Don't avoid this Penny. Dumbledore has Harry monitoring gadgets all over his office.'

'It's complicated, Sirius.'

'How so?' the man asked slapping a paper down in front of Perenelle his grey eyes flashing dangerously.

'It just is.'

'Then un-complicate it!'

'Sirius! Don't ask me this!'

'I need to know if the little boy that I love with my whole soul is Harry James Potter or someone else.'

'That is Harry Potter,' Perenelle snapped. 'Someone you should love just as dearly is living his other life for him.'

'What, in Merlin's name, is that meant to mean?' Sirius demanded.

'Nothing.'

'Don't tell me nothing, Penny! Who is Dumbledore's Harry if we have the real one.'

'I used some very old magic that was outlawed centuries ago. If anyone knew…'

'Who am I going to tell?' Sirius asked taking Perenelle by the shoulders and turning her to face him. 'Who is the other Harry?'

'Your brother.'

'Regulus is dead. Voldemort killed him.'

'Voldemort killed a designed clone of your brother.'

Sirius looked blankly at the head Ghost.

'Sirius, Reggie isn't dead. I took him in once he realised what Tom Riddle really was. He came here to our family home, learnt the ways of a Ghost and together we devised the plan. In return for his training and removal from Wizarding Society he gave me a favour I could ask him to carry out at any time. It was actually his idea to swap him into Harry's place once Dumbledore's plan was discovered.'

'He became Harry. You made him Harry using outlawed magic.'

'Yes.'

'That baby I saw was my little brother Regulus.'

'It was.'

'Does he remember anything about his past life? Does he remember me? Can he contact us?'

'No. He won't remember a thing about his true identity until he meets the real Harry. When he does, the spells will fail and he will revert to his true identity.'

'You keep an eye on him. How is he being treated?'

Perenelle paled. 'Not well. They abuse him, mentally, physically and emotionally. But we can't do anything or Dumbledore will find out and all our plans go down the drain.'

'I understand, Penny,' Sirius said slumping into a chair. 'But can't we help him. A spell or two on Harry's aunt should help the situation.'

'I have spelled his cupboard to help with the… various situations.'

Sirius cringed. 'Cupboard? Is it really that bad?'

'It's worse,' Perenelle whispered in reply a tear slipping down her cheek. 'But there is no counter measures to Dumbledore that don't put Harry at risk of exposure to Voldemort or Death Eaters or Dumbledore's manipulations.'

'We have to bring Harry up here away from all that.'

'If Dumbledore has a Harry, he'd never dream that there is another being loved, and cared for and trained and given the knowledge to survive his Hogwarts years with minimal issues.'

'You thought over this.'

'I did. A lot.'

'What do we need?'

'A Slytherin Harry.'

Silence descended on the room for a moment.

'Penny. That night. What did Dumbledore have to do with it?' Sirius asked.

'Dumbledore's manipulations as good as killed Lily and James, Sirius. He suggested the Fidilus Charm when there were other options. He failed to care for Harry properly. He failed to get an investigation into the suspicious death of Peter. He still hasn't given Harry into your care even though you have been cleared of all criminal charges and are regularly in London.'

'You have fears.'

'Many. But let us not speak of them tonight.'

Sirius nodded and moved to the side board pouring two firewhiskey shots before handing one glass to Perenelle and downing the other. Neither adult noticed the five year old hiding on the other side of the door nor fire that had been lit in his emerald eyes.

III

'Sirius, who looks after the Potter family's things?' Harry asked a few nights later as the family sat reading after dinner.

'What do you mean, Harry?'

'Well I am not big enough to look after my family but someone is looking after my stuff aren't they, like Andie looks after the Black family things. That is why you have all those meetings, don't you Sirius?'

'Harry,' Sirius said sliding out of his seat and kneeling next to his godson where he was situated in his favourite armchair. 'What has brought this on?'

'You look after your family because it is an old one like the Potter's and we all have to look after our family. I am too young to look after mine so who is looking after it for me if I have no one?'

'A man named Dumbledore looks after your things, Harry. But the thing is we can't do anything about it because of a very special situation.'

'Dumbledore has a Harry too, who he is controlling?' The adults looked at the boy who looked down at his toes. 'I heard Sirius come home and got up to say hello.'

'And listened to our conversation.'

Harry blushed. 'You don't like Dumbledore do you, Penny?'

'No. I don't think Dumbledore is a very nice man,' Perenelle said from her place by the fire. 'Do you know who he is?'

'Hogwarts Headmaster, Supreme Mugwump and he has his own chocolate frog card.'

'All correct,' Sirius sighed. 'A true Ravenclaw knows all the facts.'

'Muggles have a saying 'know thine enemy'.'

'So, if I wanted to find out about my things I would have to do it secretly so Dumbles didn't know, wouldn't I?'

Perenelle and Sirius both looked closely at Harry's face trying to discern where the conversation was heading.

'Yes,' Sirius replied cautiously. 'If you wanted we could get someone to help you learn a little bit about looking after a wizarding family if you want. It should entertain you for at least a week.'

Harry frowned at his godfather's comment while Genevieve slapped Sirius on the leg. 'Cissia teaches me things when I see her and has given me books to read. They aren't very hard but they help everything Andie says to you when comes she here to talk make sense.'

Sirius frowned and Perenelle raised an eyebrow.

'I see,' Perenelle nodded her mind turning. 'Do you have a plan?'

'Yes,' the boy nodded.

'And what is this plan?' Genevieve asked from the floor near her sleeping daughter, from where she had been listening.

'Cissia says that charm never fails you and with my eyes I only have to blink to make Padfoot do something, so I was thinking that maybe if a met a nice goblin at the bank…'

'You want to sweet talk a Gringotts goblin!' Sirius laughed. 'No one can do that!'

'I bet I could.'

'I bet you couldn't.'

'I bet I could.'

'I…'

'Right. That's enough. Harry, Sirius how about we go to the Parisian branch on Friday morning,' Perenelle suggested.

'Ok,' Harry nodded. 'That gives me time to find out about Gobbledegook. I'll have to go down to the library tomorrow.'

'I'll help you if you like,' Perenelle offered.

'Thanks,' Harry smiled as Sirius choked in disbelief. 'I better go to bed now. I have a lot of books to find tomorrow.'

'You do.'

Harry moved around the room kissing each person goodnight, getting an extra hug off his godfather and an offer to tuck him in.

'Come on then,' Harry sighed, seemingly older than his years as he led Sirius out of the sitting room.

The two boys talked quidditch while Harry brushed his teeth, washed his face and changed into his pyjamas. As they let the bathroom Harry turned right to go to his room, but ran straight past his door and opened the one leading to the green and gold room they had been asked not to enter.

'Harry, come back here,' Sirius demanded following the boy into the room.

'Look, Padfoot. It's a photo of you,' Harry said picking a face down photo frame up off the desk on the far side of the room and standing it up without even glancing at it.

Sirius crossed the room and looked at the photo. The imaged showed two brothers, filled with childish youth waving back at the camera, their smiles wide, their eyes twinkling and their arms around each others shoulders.

'Is it your brother?'

'Yeah, kiddo. That's Gus, and only I called him that. My brother, Gus. This must have been taken just before I went to Hogwarts,' Sirius whispered putting the photo down.

'One day I'll meet Regulus and you will have him back,' Harry said as Sirius lifted him and carried him back to his own room.

'I only hope that it's not too late.'

Harry's small hands held either side of Sirius's head and applied pressure causing the animagus to look at the boy in his arms.

'It's never too late.'

'When did you get so wise?'

'It's something I picked up living with a really old lady, a French woman, a baby and a man who chases his own tail.'

'I only ever do that for your entertainment, Harry James Potter.'

'It doesn't mean you don't do it.'

'No. I openly admit to chasing my own tail,' Sirius grinned in the darkness of Harry's quidditch themed room. 'Goodnight, kiddo.'

'Bonne nuit, Padfoot.'

III

Sitting in a conference room on either side of their godson, Perenelle and Sirius were stunned by the boy's apparent manipulations that seemed to be so innocent in nature. Perenelle had helped Harry on the previous few days to learn a number of respectful phrases in the goblin language and from the moment they had entered the Paris branch of Gringotts Bank Harry has stunned the usually composed creatures by greeting them with their own phrases and customs before requestion to see a multilingual manager familiar with English. The Goblins were more than willing to reply.

When Deepblade, a Goblin from the London Branch arrived some ten minutes later armed with all conceivable paperwork the five year old had proceeded to surprise and then charm the grizzled Goblin.

'Good morning,' Harry greeted in Gobbledegook. 'May the day bring profit to us all. I am Harry. Son of Lily and James Potter and these are my godparents and guardians Lord Sirius Orion Black and Lady Perenelle Ravenclaw.'

'Good morning, young sir and may our profits be large. I am Deepblade. You are polite and skilled in our tongue for one so young.'

'My godmother taught me some phrases when I asked her.'

'The good Lady Ravenclaw is familiar to all Goblins through the work she does. She speaks our language flawlessly and seems to have taught you well.'

'I am using a light translation charm because I am not really that good. I was hoping to continue in English so everyone understands,' Harry asked his emerald eyes large.

'Of course,' Deepblade said, speaking English for the first time in their conversation. 'Shall we begin?'

The first item produced to look over was the last will and testament of James and Lily Potter. It was a very simple document. Under no circumstances was Harry to be given into Petunia Dursley's custody. His parents declared that their son was to be raised by his godfather, Sirius Black or another magical family and the cost of raising him could be taken from the trust vault that had been set aside. Harry was then to receive everything at staggered times as he grew up. At eleven, he would receive his personal vault which contained a number of possessions he could use at any time as well as money. At thirteen, he would receive nine trunks from the storage vault which he would have to give to the people they were destined for. At the same age his monthly withdrawal limits would be raised. At fifteen, he would receive lordship over the Potter family and estate as decreed by, as James himself had written, some horribly out of date but incredibly handy law. This meant he would receive his signet ring, familiar, governing power over all staff and access to three other financial accounts. Finally, upon becoming a legal adult, Harry would receive everything else.

While Harry was escorted down to his vault and on a cart ride, Sirius and Perenelle spoke with Deepblade on the legal ramifications of Dumbledore's blatant disregard for the Potter couple's final wishes. Once Harry returned, pink cheeked and sparkly eyed, the topic was discussed with him and legal documents drawn up. Harry also suggested that all the locks on the vaults be changed so that no one who currently had a key could take his money. Deepblade seemed impressed with the child and his idea and made a note of all Potter Vault locks requiring only a key for entrance be changed at once.

Harry then began asking about the Potter investments and properties as he munched on chocolate cookies that had been delivered. His godparents we only mildly surprised at his vast knowledge and very pleased when the Goblin replied that no investments could be changed until Harry was seventeen years of age, as was stipulated in a clause of Lily and James' will. Deepblade did however grin when Harry asked about his family home.

'It is funny you should ask about the Potter Manor, Harry,' Deepblade hissed.

'Why?' Harry asked quietly.

'The Manor was destroyed when your grandparents died, shortly after your birth but many items from within the house were saved, placed in the storage vault for safe keeping. The land, I believe, remains untouched and a haven for magical wildlife only accessible by those keyed into the wards by a Potter Lord.'

'How is it safe then?' Sirius asked.

'The Death Eaters gained entrance to the house by floo. Since there is now no floo the only people who can gain entrance are you, Harry and Lord Black who lived there as a teenager. Anyone else who wanted to see the property would have to be touching you Harry, as the only blood Potter.'

'So, I have land but no house?'

'Correct.'

Harry's green eyes looked into the murky goblin's for a minute until the boy blinked slowly.

'Why are you telling me this?'

'I am not allowed to say,' Deepblade replied. 'But if you were to work it out I would have to disclose all the facts.'

Harry nodded slowly, while his godmother swelled with pride and his godfather looked on confused, but silent. 'I have investments I can't touch and a property that only I and Padfoot can get to, but no house as it was destroyed. I have guardians who have access to my trust vault. At eleven I will get my personal vault. At fifteen, I become Lord Potter and get my ring, my familiar and more money from three separate accounts. At seventeen, I get anything else.'

The Goblin nodded and Harry sat deep in thought nibbling on yet another chocolate biscuit.

'I want to build a house, well a manor. That takes a lot of money. And it is obvious that Mummy and Daddy wanted the best for me. Deepblade, is it possible that in my trust vault there is enough funds to rebuild the Potter Manor, or at least part of it and still allow me to live comfortably until I turn eleven?'

The Goblin bared all his teeth in a smile. 'Why yes, Harry. Your trust vault was established so that your Godfather could rebuild the Potter Manor as a home for you both, and support both of you until your eleventh birthday in a very lordly manner.'

Harry grinned proudly and Perenelle hugged her godson. Sirius remained in his chair muttering to himself.

'Sirius. I am five!' Harry declared irritably, put off that his godfather hadn't congratulated him on his success.

'Sorry, kiddo. I am just amazed. You are the most brilliant, smartest five year old on the planet,' Sirius said shaking his head while ruffling the hair on Harry's.

Harry grinned before his smile faltered. 'Now I am stuck. I don't know how to build a house,' Harry shrugged, his expression thoughtful and innocent.

'Now that is where Penny and I will help you with some advice from Deepblade,' Sirius replied sitting forward. 'But for today let's go buy some books and let Deepblade catch up on all the paperwork we have made for him and then next week, we will go to the Potter estate together and start thinking about building your house. How does that sound?'

Harry nodded before sliding off his chair and bowing to the Goblin. 'It's time for us to go. I am tired and I think we all need a break. May I write you a note next week so that you can come visit the Potter estate with us?'

'I would be delighted to join you and share my ideas,' Deepblade nodded. 'Have a good day now, Harry. I'll see you next week. Goodbye Lord Black, Lady Ravenclaw.'

III

A fortnight later, Sirius Black lay on the lounge, his daughter asleep on his chest, his fingers pinching the bridge of his nose to ward off the looming headache. Genevieve and Perenelle sat looking over papers at the nearby table while Harry was tucked up asleep in bed.

'How can one five year old be so smart?' Sirius complained, rubbing his hand along Carolin's back. 'He's five for Merlin's sake. Not fifty. He speaks like he's fifty. It hurts my head.'

'He knows what he wants,' Genevieve smiled, holding up the lists the two women had created that afternoon upon their return from the Potter Estate.

'He also knows how to get it,' Perenelle laughed patting the daisy chain crown upon her head as Genevieve mimed being a snobby princess with hers.

'Just because I don't like girly things like that,' Sirius mumbled. 'How are the building plans going?'

'After we talk to Harry in the morning we should be able to submit the plans. The entire building should be complete by the time he is sixteen or so.'

'And by then he will be well and truly out of our hair. What is he doing tomorrow?'

'Harry will be spending the morning with us and the afternoon with the elves.'

'The kid needs some normal friends his own age,' Sirius groaned thinking of the powerful elven children Harry played with.

'It will work itself out come autumn when he starts school.'

'They have school for five year olds here?'

'This is France,' Genevieve snickered. 'There is a reason why our students have a better knowledge of Muggle things and basic magic.'

'Ok, school. Where?'

'Sans Belles Bagettes Magique. It is more for socialisation of children rather than for learning. Only the wealthiest and most powerful send their children there.'

'Harry needs it,' Sirius groaned thinking of his active godson's antics. 'I think I need it.'

The two women laughed.

III

III


	7. 7 Growing

III

Tricks, Ghosts and a Very Different Life

III

Seven – Growing

III

AN1 – the usual disclaimer, everything you recognise belongs to JKR and the others who have copyright over Harry Potter. Anything else is mine.

_AN2 – any dialogue in italics is in French._

III

Harry squeezed the two larger hands that engulfed his smaller ones as his godparents stood with him outside an archway with thick, high fences on either side. Looking down the straight drive he could see two storey stone building taking up a decent amount of space. In the distance he could see animal pens, no doubt holding magical animals while normal horses watched him from their paddocks either side of the avenue.

'Is this really my school?'

'Yes,' Perenelle smiled, letting go of his hand and kneeling down in front of him. 'Let me look at you.'

Harry rolled his eyes as the older woman fussed over his appearance, dragging her fingers through his shoulder length, untameable black hair, straightening his Ralph Polo mid blue polo and brushing his taupe pants before adjusting them over his brown shoes. Frowning he twisted his chocolate brown travelling robe as they sat on his shoulders, his red dragon back pack sitting on his shoulders.

'Can we go in now?' Harry begged, his green eyes wide.

'Let's go,' Perenelle replied offering her hand to the boy as other parents and their children walked past.

'How many students come here, Penny?' Sirius asked looking closely at other groups walking down the lane.

'Sans Belles Baguettes Magiques, or Sans Be Ba Em as most people call it takes no more that two hundred students between five and eleven during the school term. There will be vampires, veelas, werewolves, wizards, witches, most being from the old families, with money and power, or high up in their respective clans.'

'What am I?' Harry asked.

'You are Harrison James Potter, son of Lily and James, Heir to the Potter Family of Wales, member of Gryffindor and Ravenclaw lines, godson of Padfoot and Penny- Pen- Pen- Pen.'

'Harrison. No one calls me that.'

'But that is not the name everyone knows you by. Harrison is the name on your official family documents. Your parents told Sirius and I at your naming ceremony and asked us never to mention it so that no-one may steal your identity and get into your family vaults.'

'They pranked Dumbledore?!' Harry grinned with a fire in his eyes.

'They did too,' Sirius replied with a barking laugh. 'Go Lily and James.'

'I suggest that you just introduce yourself as Harry.'

The small boy nodded from his position between his guardians as they absently walked down the path.

'Sirius, we will stay here with the other parents and guardians until lunch and then we will leave. Will be returning to pick him up at four. This morning we will help him pick classes and do a variety of other things.'

Sirius, Harry and Perenelle entered the open double doors into a large entrance hall with staircases sweeping off to the sides. Entering a room to the right they found a small cloak room with a large wooden, door less, lockers for each student. Eight lockers were spread out around the room. Three had been claimed with their owners no where in sight, two had two little boys and their parents standing in front of them. Harry straightened up to his full height and walked into the room and over to an unclaimed space. Shrugging off his back pack he slid it onto the shelf left for it before he hung his cloak on the hook.

'I am Harry Potter, son of James and Lily, heir of the Potter Line, member of Gryffindor and Ravenclaw lines, godson of Padfoot and Penny- Pen- Pen- Pen. Who are you both?'

Sirius tried to suppress a smile and Perenelle covered her mouth, as did the other two women in the room. The dark haired lordly man grinned openly, exposing long fangs while the blonde man kept his face expressionless.

'_Why kind of names are those?'_ the little blonde haired boy sneered.

'_They are just as funny as Rene Monseigneur,'_ Harry replied quickly. _'Son of the Prince and Princess of the European Veelas.'_

'_How did you know that?'_

'_I never go into any situation unprepared.'_

'_Then who am I?' _the dark haired boy asked, his dark eyes dancing with amusement.

'_Mikhail, son of Count Vladimir and Countess Anastasia.'_

'_Oh, Penny he is as adorable as you say.'_

'_Thank you, Ana. Harry, you remember me talking about my friend Ana?'_

'_You never said she was a vampire,' _Harry replied crossing his arms in front of his chest. _'And you never told me that I would be going to school with her son.'_

'_Surprise!'_

'_Can we go and look around now, Penny?'_ the five year old asked.

'_Yes. How about we all go together?'_

Harry grinned and looked at Mikhail and then at Rene.

'_Let's go!' _ Mikhail shouted running from the room Harry close on his heals, Rene following at a more restrained pace.

'_Rene, go and play like normal children,'_ his father encouraged and the boy dutifully complied jogging to catch up with the other two boys.

'_How long before you think he finally has a grazed knee?' _the veela woman asked.'

'_Ten minutes,'_ the vampire Lord replied putting up a large umbrella to share with his wife has he passed out the front doors of the school.

'_Five,'_ Sirius countered. _'Harry and Mikhail seem to have a similar personality and will get on like a house on fire. Rene is going to be dragged down with them until he succumbs to all childish urges. With two mischievous personalities like the other two I give it until the end of the week before he starts pranking you both,'_ the man continued looking at the veela parents.

'_Excellent,'_ the veela woman replied. _'I am Coco and this is my husband, George Monseigneur.'_

'_Count Vladimir and Countess Anastasia. Just call us Vlad and Ana.'_

'_Padfoot and Penny Pen Pen Pen.'_

'_Lord Sirius Black and Lady Perenelle Ravenclaw.'_

At a childish shout all parents, guardians and educators in the vicinity looked up in alarm to see the five year old veela prince being supported by a wizarding Lord and vampiric Count.

'_Four and a half minutes,' _Perenelle noted. _'Let the troublemaking begin.'_

III

'Penny, I have finished my school work for the weekend,' Harry told his godmother, racing into her study Friday afternoon, just before dinner.

'Did you bring it with you so I can check it?' the red head asked the five year old, while his godfather scowled in the corner.

'No.'

'Then go and get it.'

'What did you do to him, Perenelle? He studies more than Lily,' Sirius asked escorting the young woman from the room and into the hall.

The thousand year old beauty didn't have time to reply before Harry reappeared from his own rooms waving parchment. 'Look. I practiced my writing just like Miss Lloyd said to.'

Sirius accepted the parchment and began to look over the crayon words.

'You getting better, Kiddo, but what is this,' Sirius asked bending down. 'Is that how you write my name?'

'No,' the child replied bowing his head. 'My s's are backwards.'

'Yep. How about we say that you have done a really good job on this and you and I will practice writing s's tomorrow so you can write my name properly. How does that sound?'

'I wrote Padfoot properly,' Harry said pointing at the page.

'But does everyone know me as Padfoot, Harry?'

'No.'

'Then we will have to practice those s's.'

'Tomorrow?'

'Yes. After breakfast.'

'Cool. Then can we find a snake?'

'Why would we want to do that?' Sirius asked paling slightly.

'I understand what the ones at school are saying. They think Fleur smells good,' Harry giggled.

'Fleur?' his godmother asked, while Sirius opened and closed his mouth in shock.

'She's a veela like Rene. She's in the same clan and she helps look after Rene.'

'And the snakes said she smelt pretty?'

'Ssssamuel mainly.'

'Parseltongue!' Sirius finally stuttered. 'Who knows?'

'Rene, Mik, Fleur because we told her and some others. Oh and the snakes.'

'Harry, Sirius and I will have to talk to your teachers on Monday and they may want to talk to you too.'

'That's ok. Mik said that speaking to snakes is seen as really bad. But then I said so are vampires. And then we decided that we would be bad together.'

'I hope that this bad only extends to include bad manners and pranking.'

Harry looked up at his godmother and blinked his large green eyes making her laugh.

'You aren't going to tell me are you?'

The boy shook his head and climbed into his seat at the dinner table and striking up a conversation with Carolin about her baby brother or sister that was coming.

'You wrote my name perfectly,' Genevieve gushed seeing her name of Harry's parchment, and kissing the dark haired boy on the head. _'Felicitations!'_

'_Merci, Gen!_'

'_Will you tell me about school?_' the French woman asked passing her daughter to her husband and taking her place beside Harry.

'_I love school. It's lots of fun, but I miss the elves and Araxion._'

'_But you can see them on the weekends._'

Harry nodded sadly.

'_So what did you do? What is your favourite thing to do with Rene and Mikhail?_'

'_Well we are looking at animals, magical ones and normal one and learning how to look after some. And after Christmas we will learn how to ride the horses._'

'_That's exciting_.'

'_Yeah. And I spoke to some snakes who think Fleur smells pretty. And Martin made Samuel sneeze_.'

'_Who are Fleur, Martin and Samuel?_'

'_Samuel is the snake I spoke to. He's the only one so far. He's really cool. The colour of my eyes. Then Fleur is a veela who lives near Rene and Martin is a meanie. His dad works for the ministry and he thinks he's so important_.'

'_I see_,' Genevieve replied barely raising an eyebrow concerning Harry's confession to being a parseltongue. Both ate their meals for a moment before Genevieve urged the boy to continue. '_What else?_'

'_Well we are learning some Latin and English, but that is really easy,_' Harry grinned. '_And then we are learning French properly. We have to write and read all of them_.'

'_That will be helpful when you get your wand_.'

'_That's what Mr Leclerq said_.'

'_He sounds like a smart man_.'

'He _speaks English to me a lot and no one else understands._'

'_That's tricky_.'

'_Then we have History where we look at magical and muggle stuff. We are doing Merlin. He was very powerful_,' Harry informed seriously to the amusement of the adults. '_Then after big lunch there is Monsieur Sagesse who reads to us while we lie down close our eyes and listen._'

'_What does he read?_'

'_Myths. Muggle books about ancient Rome and Greece and all the magic that happened then. It's funny_.'

'_I am sure it is. Do you do anything else?_'

'Counting _in Maths and then Thurday afternoons is art day were we can paint and make pretty pictures and things like that. It's messy but I love it. I get to bring my picture home on Tuesday. I'll show it to you._'

'_I'd like that_,' Genevieve replied cutting Harry's steak into bite sized pieces. '_Quickly, eat up before your dinner gets cold_.'

III

The second Monday all the parents of the five year olds came to the school to speak with the Headmistress about their concerns. The adults talked and laughed and near the end the Headmistress sobered a little.

'_Guardians, it has come to our attention that Harry is a parseltongue, able to speak with snakes. We at the school have no problem with this as many of the veela and vampiric children have various abilities we cater for however as is school policy we must inform the carers of all students. Do any of you have a problem with this?'_

None of the parents in the room expressed any concerns and were quite intrigued by the potential.

'_Harry is already a gifted student in the English language, and his teacher Mr Leclerq tells me he is far ahead of his age group, in fact he is far ahead of all the students in the school. We propose that Harry take some of those lesson to speak with the snakes here on school property under the supervision of one of the staff to further his skill with the language.'_

'_His godmother and I are also considering purchasing a snake for his as a pet.'_

'_Lord Black, the serpents here at the school often breed and we give the animals on to other interested parties. Maybe Harry will be able to form a bond with one of the younger animals.'_

'_That would be marvellous,'_ Sirius nodded looking at Perenelle who was also gesturing her approval of the ideas.

'_Well, if that is all I will see you all next month for our discussion and we can now visit you children in the class environments.'_

The parents rose and followed the headmistress out of the room chatting with one another as they did so.

III

Halloween, Christmas and Easter came and went and a new member joined those already in the locked wing, Aurelius 'Sunny' Black, heir to the Black fortune.

Harry, revelled in the presence of a third male in the wing, spending his evenings play and watching over the baby, when he wasn't reading on his own, visiting the elves, or completing various things on his own.

The summer came and went and Harry returned to Sans Belles Baguettes Magiques for his second year, his friendship with the Veela Prince and Vampire Count as strong as ever.

He never knew of the problems his other self was experiencing at the hands of his relatives on Four Privet Drive. His godfather however, paid close attention.

III

III


	8. 8 Infromation

III

Tricks, Ghosts and a Very Different Life

III

8 - Information

III

'Sirius!'

'Yes, Harry?'

'Luc is crying again.'

The shaggy haired man groaned from where he was half-asleep on the lounge before rolling into an upright position and dragging himself out of the room to the nursery to attend to his second son.

'Harry, don't tell Genevieve but I need sleep. Will you watch him for just and hour?'

The eight year old boy smiled and accepted the bundle of baby from his godfather who had just returned from the adjacent room.

'Make sure you are awake before Penny, Gen, Caro and Sunny get back from Paris.'

'Make sure I get up,' Sirius replied lying back down on the couch, a pillow over his face.

Harry grinned at his godfather, slid his book onto the arm of the armchair, and balanced it there. Carefully supporting Luc's head he eased himself off the chair and onto the floor, lying Luc on a blanket Harry had magically spread there.

'Don't tell your mum about that ok, Luc. She doesn't know anything about the whole wandless thing I have happening.'

The grey eyed baby gurgled his fingers grabbing at Harry's nose.

'What shall we do while your daddy takes a nap? Hmm. Would you like me to tell you a story?' Harry asked the child. 'I'll read to you. In French or English? I think English, you are going to be so smart. You'll speak better English than Sunny anyway. I think that having a semi-normal name helps. Don't you? Do you like Myths? I have some Greek ones that I was reading just now before you started yelling for your daddy. Maybe if I found a less gruesome one? Let me see.'

Harry searched through the book, reading the child stories, letting the magic of the book create the smoky images of the tale in the air above their heads. Hearing a clatter in the hall, Harry threw a motorcycle magazine at his godfather who was woken from his slumber. The man sat up quickly at the noise in the hall and noting the contraband in his hands slid it under the decorative pillows in time to hide it from his wife as she entered the room.

'What's going on here?' the French woman demanded catching Sirius's guilty expression.

'Nothing.'

'Something!' Carolin cried flinging herself on her father.

'Nothing!' Sirius repeated.

'Accio,' Perenelle called, setting Aurelius down on the floor as Genevieve placed the bags on the table. 'Motorcycle magazine,' she announced handing the item to Genevieve who promptly threw it in the fire and glared at her husband.

'We'll talk later,' Sirius winced seeing his wife's expression before encouraging his daughter to relay the shopping experience for Harry's eighth birthday presents that had taken up her morning.

Harry lay back down on the floor continuing to read the children's myths to the baby and the toddler who had taken up residence, lying on his other side. As the eldest boy read, a warm feeling entered his stomach, causing him to smile a little as he read.

III

Harry and his family sat on the shore of the lake, sitting on picnic blankets and eating birthday cake in the twilight when they were approached by three figures, a boy the same age as Harry, an aging man, and a young graceful woman.

'Harry, we come to wish you a happy birthday.'

'Araxion!' Harry greeted happily. 'Your majesty. Your highness,' he added with bows to the woman and boy who nodded their heads in reply.

'At the Prince's suggestion and with the Queen's consent I made your birthday present. The first in a series you will receive over the next few years.'

Harry looked up at his elfin mentor, his eyes wide as he accepted the beautiful pair of knives from the wizened man. 'They are for me?'

'Yes, my son,' Araxion smiled, kneeling in front of the mortal boy. 'They are for you.'

Harry opened and closed his mouth soundlessly for a few minutes before throwing his arms around Araxion's neck and giving him a tight hug.

'Thank you. Thank you. Thank you,' the green eyed boy whispered. 'Thank you,' he said bowing to the Elfin Queen and her son. Slowly the golden haired woman kneeled in the grass and held out her arms. Tears slipped down Harry's face as he let the woman hold him, while his sparring partner patted him on the back.

'Harry. We know of your destiny. You will use our blades well.'

The boy pulled back and looked wide-eyed at the Queen, understanding what she was implying. Touching his forehead and bowing in the respectful elfin way Harry stepped back.

'I am lucky to have friends like you.'

The Queen rose and the Prince gently punched his friend on the arm before turning away and walking into the forest with his mother. Harry took a moment to look down at the blades in his hands. One had a foot long curved blade with a handle half as long again. The entire blade was made from emerald tinged metal that was hard, and sharp, the handle had been covered in soft black leather and stamped with the Potter family crest and Harry's initials. The second blade was half the size, perfect to put in a boot. Both came with sheaths made from hardened black leather and the same metal as the blade the larger also having a belt.

'Araxion…'

'You deserve it. Despite being human you are my best student and you deserve every extra chance you can get. Use them well and take care of them. I'll see you at training.'

The stunned group watched as the old elf disappeared into the forest before looking at Harry who held the blades loosely by his sides. Noticing the eyes upon him, Harry gingerly placed the blades into the picnic hamper and sat down, picking at the crumbs left on his plate.

III

The family was having lunch in the dining room of the locked wing when seven loud knocks were read on the doors leading to the locked wing. In an instant the three adults had their wands out and Harry had picked up Luc and was leading the other children into the kitchen.

'_Expecting anyone, Penny?'_ Genevieve asked.

'_No. Either of you?'_ Sirius glared at his fellow godparent while his wife just shook her head in the negative. _'Right. Let's go and find out what is going on.'_

The three moved down the hallway, the husband and wife team shielding as Perenelle used magic to open the doors. Standing there was a short, stocky man with a long brown beard.

'Message for Perenelle Ravenclaw, aka Perenelle Flamel.'

Perenelle stepped forward and accepted the missive, carefully opening it. Her eyes moved quickly across the page and widened slightly. 'Damn Nicholas. I am sorry, sir. Please come in. Do you desire any refreshments?'

'Some fresh fruit and some water would be sufficient.'

Sirius and Genevieve shared a glance of confusion before following Perenelle and her guest into the sitting room.

'I have disturbed your lunch. My apologies. I shall return.'

'Please, stay Master Dwarf.'

'If I am to stay you should call me Zorbo.'

'Of course.'

Genevieve disappeared into the kitchen and returned with her children and Harry. 'The children and I are going to go paddling in the pool, Harry has asked to stay here.'

Sirius nodded and told his older children to do as their mother asked before he turned back to the group at the table. 'Care to explain, Penny?'

'Yes, I should probably summarise this letter,' Perenelle began as their guest was served his meal and Harry slipped into his chair. 'Nicholas was what we would call a grey wizard, neither dark or light, the balancing force in the world. The grey wizard traditionally is the wizarding representative on the Council of Humanoids.'

'What's that?'

'A humanoid is something that has human like qualities. A Muggle is human, a mortal creature. A wizard is a humanoid. He may look like a muggle but he has abilities he can use to avoid death and change the world around him. Dwarves are humanoid too. We have our own types of magic, mostly to do with the earth,' Zorbo told the boy at his side.

'I understand. So the other creatures are what?'

'I think you can guess,' Perenelle told her godson.

'Elves, Vampires and Veelas. Air, Water and Fire?'

'Almost,' the dwarf chuckled. 'Life, blood and emotion. You are a very smart boy.'

Harry blushed before looking at his beaming godparents. 'So, what does the letter say?'

'Something that now makes perfect sense.'

'Penny. Stop being all cryptic. Just explain yourself clearly.'

'Nicholas has been sick almost two years when he died. The stone he had created had started poisoning him. Where is it…' Perenelle muttered reading over the letter. 'Here it is. Penny, I rememeber it as clear as day. It was Harry's first birthday and you had come in to see me before leaving for his party. I asked where you were going and you said to my godsons first birthday party. Where on earth did the last twelve months go? You asked. At that moment it all clicked. I summoned my journals and located the first entry that indicated me feeling ill – an important day for a man who hadn't been ill in centuries. It was twenty months earlier, about the same time your darling Harry would have been conceived.'

The dwarf had a sharp intake of breath while Sirius looked up at Perenelle confused.

'I don't understand.'

'When a dark or light lord dies a new one is born to replace them; to equate the balance. Nicholas would have died earlier if not for his stone since his replacement had already been born.'

Sirius made some quick calculations on his fingers before looking at his godson. 'Harry!'

'Yes.'

'Me! I am a grey lord?'

'You will be.'

'Ah… cool.'

'Hey. This is one of those family secrets kiddo.'

'But what of the prophecy?' Zorbo asked.

'How do you know?' Perenelle asked.

'The council has its ways. Why would grey kill dark?'

'Maybe it's because Dumbledore has already killed his dark lord.'

'What else would it be?'

'Maybe he's not light anymore,' Harry offered. 'A nice person would have given me to Padfoot like Mum and Dad wanted.'

'That makes more sense. To keep the balance grey must step in.'

'So, I have to kill Dumbledore too?' Harry asked in shock.

'Probably not.'

'I hope not!' Sirius exclaimed. 'Voldemort and Dumbledore. How much luck can one boy have?'

'It could be worse. I could be with the Dursleys.'

'My son is about your age and as such will probably be elected the next dwarf onto the council.'

'Do you know who the other leaders are?'

'No, but they are normally all male. The all female council is only established during times of great hardship. I must admit that I am here for a reason.'

'How so?' Perenelle asked.

'Nicholas told us not to take the letter to you until we, the dwarves as a people got into a tight spot, or nine and a half years had passed.'

Sirius raised an eyebrow and a sparkle glittered in both Perenelle and Harry's eyes.

'We have a slight dragon problem.'

'I see,' Harry nodded rubbing his chin. 'We might be able to help you with that. How many dragons?'

The dwarf mumbled.

'Sorry, how many?' Harry asked to the amusement of his godparents.

'Six that we know of.'

'Six!' Harry narrowed his eyes in thought and continued stroking his chin. 'I could do it but it is going to cost you.'

'You could … never mind. How much?'

'I need you to rebuild my family manor,' the dwarf blanched. 'The removal of a dragon in the middle ages cost three chests, one of gold, one of mithril and one of precious stones. Six dragons with possibly more is worth at least a manor.'

'Can you show me the plans?'

'Of course,' Harry nodded as Sirius bolted from the room to retrieve the plans and to laugh at his godson's antics. 'The only problem I see is finding homes for these animals. What kind of dragons are they?'

'Welsh Greens.'

'Hmm. My home is in Wales. Maybe. Yes. Take a copy of the plans with you. Talk it over with whom ever you must and comeback here tomorrow for lunch. Bring your son.'

Sirius copied the plans and handed it to the dwarf who stood and bowed at the group.

'My thanks. I shall see you all tomorrow,' Zorbo said before vanishing.

'Penny may I please borrow E?'

'Why?'

'I don't think it is a coincidence that I spar with an elfin prince my age, nor that I am friends with a Veela prince and a Vampiric count. Do you?'

'I guess we better write some invitations then,' Perenelle nodded.

'I'll go watch the kids because I am sure Genevieve will want to be a part of this,' Sirius mentioned sidling out of the room.

'When are you going to tell him he can't avoid parties forever, Penny?' Harry asked grinning at his godmother.'

'He'll work it out on his own one day,' the red head replied.

III

The following afternoon the five different groups sat down to dine in the splendour of the main hall of Ravenclaw Manor the five eight year old boys sitting together down one end of the table. The group chattered happily together, while their parents, and guardians spoke of other things down the far end of the table.

After desert the five little boys all dropped their spoons back into their bowls and slipped out of their chairs.

'Stay inside the house please. None of you need to get wet and then get a cold,' Perenelle called after them, the three school friends yelling back various replies.

'So what do you want to do?'

'I think we should explore.'

'But I have already explored.'

'Is there somewhere where you haven't been.'

'The ground floor in the south wing.'

'Let's go there then.'

The five boys took off, running through the halls, exploring and playing games in each of the different rooms they stumbled across. Finally they found an ornate pair of carved doors.

'Wow!'

'Wicked!'

'Shall we go inside?'

'Let's.'

Together the five boys pushed open one of the heavy doors to reveal a circular table surrounded by five chairs. Led by Harry they all slipped into a chair.

'We are the New Council of Humanoids,' Harry declared. 'Representative Aldon of the Elves, representative Rene of the Veela, Representatice Rowin of the Dwarves, representatice Mikhail of the Vampires and I, representative Harrison of wizards.'

'Your name is Harrison!' Rene exclaimed.

'I hate it. I prefer Harry but for all ceremonies I must use my real name. None of you can ever tell anyone anything that happens when we are at a meeting. Swear.'

'Swear.'

'Swear.'

'Swear.'

'Swear.'

'And I swear too.'

'Who put you in charge?'

'It's my house. You can be in charge when it's at your house, Mik.'

'Ok.'

'So what are we going to talk about? What does the council do?'

'We fight for equality for our peoples. Make sure they are properly represented and cared for. Builds stronger relations.'

'You read too much.'

'You don't read enough.'

'I read plenty thank you.'

'What does Machiavellian mean?'

'I don't know.'

'How do you spell it?'

'Rene! Harry! Stop!' Mikhail yelled. 'How about we end this meeting of ours and go back to exploring.

Harry nodded and stuck his hand in the centre of the table. Moments later Rene and Mikhail slapped their hands down on top. Aldon smiled and added his hand to the pile as did Rowin who chuckled as he did so.

As soon as the fifth hand touched a golden beam wrapped around each of their wrists forming a rune on the soft skin.

'What just happened.'

'No idea,' Harry whispered. 'E! E get Penny, now!' the raven haired boy yelled.

'Why are you getting Penny?'

'She's old. She might know what it means,' Harry said stoking the rune on his left forearm as he did.

'Harry what's wrong?' Perenelle asked frantically appearing in the room with her phoenix. Harry held out his right wrist in reply and the other four boys followed his example. His godmother frowned and Harry copied her expression.

'You remember the book you were explaining to me about certain tattoos. I think it is similar, but in a good way.'

'Everyone hold onto me. E could you please take us all back to the other adults?'

The phoenix flamed the group to the sitting room they had settled in and Perenelle quickly took charge of the situation sitting the parents down behind their sons.

'Harry. What happened?'

'We were playing. Pretending to be the Council of Humanoids. It was only a game and then we made a hand pile and there was a golden light and then we had the tattoos. I called E straight away.'

'They are fading Perenelle.'

'I know. I know. But I don't know what they are.'

'You are one thousand years old. How do you not know?' Sirius asked frustratedly.

'I am dead half that time and the other half I had to play meek house wife.'

'Penny, I think I may know.'

'Ana, how?'

'I was secretary for my father in law at a number of Council meetings during the Plague. I recognise the symbol. It only lights up when a meeting is called, all council members are in the one room or when one of them is in danger.'

'Why is it fading?'

'The council meeting is over,' Aldon replied. 'And there are others who have no business with us in the room.'

'Will you boys run out into the hall and tell us what happens?' the Count asked.

The boys moved into the corridor and watched as their runes glowed back to life.

'They're glowing again.'

'Remember what they look like and come back please.'

The boys returned and were handed parchment and crayons by Sirius. 'Can you draw the marks please?'

The five quickly drew their runes before holding up the pages for all to see.

'Aldon holds fairness, Harry strength…'

'Mik has the same one as his grandfather, justice.'

'Rene, holds yours up please darling.'

'That is the rune for defence.'

'What is the fifth one?'

'Unity,' Zorbo smiled.

'They are the new Council of Humanoids.'

'I'll have to research into this.'

'We will, later,' Sirius replied. 'But right now, Harry has some dragons to move.'

'Oh! I forgot about that,' the green eyed boy grinned.

III

Harry stood at the entrance to the mines and bid farewell to the dwarves, performing a handshake with Rowin that the five young Council Members had created between them. Walking away to a safe point to apparate from Harry was squashed between his godparents.

'How did you do it?' Sirius asked.

'Dragons are lizards. Lizards speak a very similar language to their cousins the snakes. What do you think I asked them?'

'To leave?'

'Yep.'

'How?'

'Sirius,' Perenelle smirked. 'It was like talking Italian to a Spanish speaker. The basis of the language is the same and thus many of the words have the same base making it easy to understand.'

'Ok. Where did the dragons go?'

'To the Potter Estate. Well, to one of the big islands I own near where my manor will be. I told them that they could use it with my permission.'

'Really?'

'Yes. I think they could be valuable allies one day.'

Perenelle took Harry's shoulder and apparated him back to France leaving Sirius standing where he was for a minute.

'An eight year old is letting seven dragons live on his private island so they may one day become allies. Bloody hell!' Sirius fumed, before apparating home to his family.

III

III


	9. 9 Image

III

Tricks, Ghosts and a Very Different Life

III

9 - Image

III

'Go away, Siri,' Harry groaned as his covers were slowly dragged down off his body.

'_I told you he speaks English without an accent_!' a voice declared with a French accent of his own.

'_I never doubted that,'_ a second voice replied, with the merest trace of an Eastern European language on the words.

'_Rene? Mikhail? What are you doing here?'_ Harry groaned rolling over and away from his friends.

'_We are here, with our parents and advisors, to help you with your training,'_ Rene declared flipping his long white blonde hair over his shoulders.

'_Training for what?'_ Harry asked, taking the offered bait, as he knew he would be getting no more sleep that morning.

'_Your training for Hogwarts,' _Mikhail replied, his short dark hair contrasting drastically with his pale skin in the light. _'You are Harry Potter. You will be the 'go to' person of your grade like Rene will be at Beauxbatons and I will be at Durmstrung.'_

'_Yet I am no Veela princeling or Vampire heir,'_ Harry snorted. _'Just let me go back to sleep.'_

'_It is ten in the morning! You should be up, not sleeping like a teenager.'_

'_I am almost a teenager!'_

'_You're ten!'_

'_Almost eleven.'_

'_And we are eleven,'_ Rene huffed. _'Get up Potter. My Father and Mother have been shown to their rooms and will be returning soon. Count Vladimir and the Countess Ana will be returning soon as well. We are all here for the week like it or not.'_

'_You'll both be here for my birthday!'_ Harry asked sitting up in bed.

'_If you get up now and do what we say.'_

Harry bounded out of bed and over to his wardrobe. _'Wait. You said your parents were here. So Penny and Sirius know.'_

'_It was mainly their idea for you to create an identity you were comfortable with before you left for school.'_

'_You have a reputation to carve out,'_ Rene added seriously.

Harry's mouth dropped open.

'_Public image is very important in our world. You don't want to be the wrong person when you get back to Britain.'_

'_Then carve my image!'_ Harry sighed flopping back down on his bed. _'Just let me sleep. Wake me up when you are done.'_

'_You need to help, Harry.'_

'_Why?'_

'_There is so much you have to learn and practice and be fitted for, and there are the Veelas, Vampires and your thousand year old godmother all willing to turn you into what ever you desire.'_

'_The bad boy of the light.'_

'_Pardon.'_

'_The bad boy of the light.'_

'_That could work. It would explain away a lot of things, a lot of your behaviours.'_

Rene nodded thoughtfully. _'We have to get moving. There are a number of people setting up down in the ballroom you will have to meet. Get dressed.' _

Harry groaned as the two other boys left a bag of clothes on the bed and left the room. Grumbling he dressed in the boxer briefs and singlet inside, before pulling on the white button up shirt and green trousers. Running a hand through his hair Harry left his room and walked into the main living room of the locked wing to find Genevieve, Sirius, Perenelle, Rene and his parents George and Coco, Mikhail and the Count and Countess.

'Sit down please, Harry,' George requested. 'Mikhail and Rene 'ave already had zis talk ze week before zere eleventh birtdays. Zey understand zat impressions are everyting in zere positions. It is for you too.'

The Count stood and continued with the speech. 'Your guardians and we have discussed this on many occasions and as your friendship with our sons grew, we chose to offer our help in training you to become a presence in Magical Britain, as you were born to be. No expense will be spared in preparing you for school as it is all to do with image. You will have everything made specifically for you and not many people will notice, but as they do it will be remembered.'

'The boys say that you want to have a 'bad boy' image,' the Countess Anastasia smiled, momentarily revealing her fangs. 'Why is this so?'

'It is more who I am. James Dean. Marlon Brando. I want to be someone of that era who has a presence, who can get away with things, but is still loved and respected.'

The four women all smiled mysterious smiles for a moment and the three adult males shook their heads.

'I don't think I want to know who either of those people are,' Sirius muttered looking at his wife's face.

'Oh, you have a bit of both in you,' Genevieve whispered. 'It would go well for Harry I must say. Especially as he gets older.'

'I must agree,' Anastasia nodded.

'Harry, has chosen an image that we can all work with easily, because it fits who he is so well,' Coco said smoothly. 'He is handsome, brooding, a prankster, a gentlemen and all those things all in one.'

'Especially dangerous,' Anastasia laughed. 'That vibe is strong.'

'Let's work with zat zen,' Coco smiled, pulling a long list out of her bag and urging the women to come closer.

'Ladies, you begin planning Harry's wardrobe. Gentlemen, begin his training in etiquette, attitude and anything else you want. I am going to go and collect his school books and other basic supplies,' Perenelle announced.

'Be sure to have them engraved with 'is family crest,' George called out as Perenelle swept out of the room.

Harry, his friends and the three adult males then holed themselves up in Harry's bedroom for the rest of the morning teaching the three younger boys a variety of tricks to use with women and for the purpose of school politics. The three friends were then presented with books concerning personal hygiene and grooming and learnt how to give themselves manicures and keep their skin hydrated.

'This is such girly stuff,' Harry complained.

'No aristocrat has dry hands, Harry. They become a symbol of how much money you have since most choose not to learn the spells themselves and must pay someone to perform them.'

'And it always helps with the ladies,' Sirius added. 'When you are older, the girls will love your hands because they will be slightly calloused from quidditch but still soft. Ask me about it when you start thinking about girls too much.'

'Sure, Sirius,' Harry said slightly embarrassed, but hiding it behind a grin.

'You must learn the facial expressions before the wives get to you,' George whispered. 'So you can show your displeasure at the clothes and colours they have selected for your wardrobe.'

'You are pretty good with this already,' Vladimir added. 'The charms of the Veela and Vampire women have no visible effect on you. This means your natural mental barriers are strong.'

'And that is good?' Harry asked.

'Very,' Sirius nodded. 'But we will work on getting them stronger before you go to Hogwarts.'

When Perenelle arrived home, with a number of school items including a beautiful handcrafted personal trunk, they broke for lunch and after, Harry was attacked by the women and dragged down to the designers who had established themselves down in the ballroom.

III

The thirty-first of July arrived and Harry excitedly lay in bed, wide awake, a little after seven.

He reminisced over the last few days, and all the grooming, princely clothes, lessons and advice he had received. Closing his eyes, Harry tried to calm himself, by sorting some of his memories into the vaults of his mind to protected them from outside forces. Once he was finished, Harry rolled over, out of bed and into the bathroom.

Standing in front of the mirror, Harry played with his hair that reached half way to his elbows before opening a draw and taking out a pair of scissors and placing them on the counter. Bending over, Harry let his hair fall until it swept over the floor, before tying it together with a band. Still bent over, Harry measure the spot he wanted to cut and held it between his fingers before he began snipping. Harry spent forty minutes carefully cutting away at his hair before he judged it to be finished. Lying his detached mane over the edge of the bath Harry quickly stepped into the shower surprised at the feeling of light headedness he was having.

As Harry walked into the dining room, Perenelle and Sirius both greeted him from behind newspapers while Genevieve gasped and the children giggled.

'_Harry!'_

'_Yes, Gen?'_

'_When did this happen?'_

'_This morning_,' Harry replied calmly, serving himself breakfast_. 'I decided it was time for a change.'_

Sirius glanced up from his paper for a second before letting his eyes flick back.

'_Shit!' _He exclaimed upon realising what he saw.

'_For goodness sakes, Sirius,'_ Perenelle snapped, folding her paper, before her words faded out as she saw Harry's new hair style. _'I like it. You've done a good job.'_

'_Thanks,'_ Harry grinned, flicking food at Sunny. _'I didn't realise I had so much hair. Or that is stuck up like this.'_

'_We sure did,'_ Sirius laughed. _'Penny and Gen used to spend hours trying to get it to lie flat. In the end we just let you grow it.'_

'_Until I looked like a girl.'_

'_No you looked like all French aristocratic heirs. They all have long hair too.'_

'_I like this better, Harry,' _Carolin declared kissing Harry upon his brow. _'I shall see you later for your birthday lunch. I must spend the morning completing a number of tasks.'_

'_Loose curls,'_ Harry called as the girl with hair as black as her name disappeared into the bathroom.

'How will she put her hair in loose curls, Harry?' Sirius asked, rubbing his wife's back while she muttered about pregnancy, castration and a number of other topics under her breath.

'She took Gen's wand.'

The Frenchwoman gasped and looked down before heaving herself out of her chair and after he wayward daughter.

'_She's grumpy today, Daddy,'_ Aurelius laughed, stealing bacon off his brother's plate.

'_Don't let her hear you say that, Sunny.'_

'_What are we doing for my birthday?'_

'_The party is at one. So this morning we get to play!'_

'_What are we going to play? It has to be something that Luc can join in with as well.'_

'_Penny could take us flying.'_

Perenelle raised a single eyebrow.

'_No. We will have to play a noisy game here inside first so that your mum agrees to anything just to make us be quiet.'_

Perenelle raised her other eyebrow. _'I suggest you get to work now,'_ she told her godson. _'An obstacle course in the hallway would probably help her decision also, but I didn't say that.'_

'_Say what?'_ Harry asked catching on quickly leading Sunny and Luc out of the room. _'We need some chairs, blankets, the toy building blocks…'_

'_Some of Caro's dolls. She'll scream about that,' Sunny added._

'_Good. Go quickly. Luc, go and get the blocks out of the toy room and throw them around here in the hall.'_

Within minutes the three boys were all playing a very loud game of pirates in the hall, on a ship constructed from chairs and blankets, with building block canon balls flying in all directions, doll prisoners and two boys sword fighting with dusters as the house elf looked on in disapproval.

'_What is going on here?'_ Genevieve asked appearing in the bathroom doorway, her daughter at her side.

'_My dolls!'_

'_There be an evil pirate boarding our good ship to free the prisoners. Attack her!' _Aurelius roared. Luc began throwing his blocks at his sister while Harry and Luc stood, feather dusters at the ready, to protect their prisoners.

'_You horrible boys!'_ Carolin screamed. _'Mama do something. Harry and Sunny have my dolls. Stop it, Luc!'_

'_Mistress Genevieve, Masters Harry and Sunny be having my dusters.'_

'_Yes, Tich. I can see that. I will get them back to you. Aurelius! Do not pull your sister's hair!'_

'_What is going on here?'_ Perenelle asked appearing in the doorway of the lounge room.

'_The bad pirate Caro be boarding our ship to rescue our prisoners.'_

'_Is that so?'_

'_Ye!'_ the two older boys shouted copied belatedly by Luc.

'_There will be no pirates or boats in this hallway,'_ Genevieve snapped. _'Pack it all up before you give me a headache.'_

'_But Genevieve…'_

'_But Harry.'_

'_I wanted to play.'_

'_Find something else to do. Preferably outside.'_

'_Could we go flying?'_ Aurelius asked his mother.

'_If your father and Penny agree to watch you,'_ the woman replied holding her temples as the boys cheered. _'This all must be cleaned up first.'_

Within ten minutes all four children were outside and airborne under the watchful gazes of Sirius and Perenelle, while Genevieve took a nap.

'What are you going to name the baby when she's born?' Perenelle asked while waving to Harry, Carolin and Sunny on their modified brooms, while Luc zoomed around a few meters away, his toes still brushing the ground.

'At this stage she will be named after an Audrey Hepburn character from the movies I have been taking Genevieve to. I believe her favourite is Sabrina at the moment.'

'Sabrina Black. That's rather nice.'

'I had no contribution what so ever to the naming of my children,' Sirius groaned. 'Otherwise Sunny would never have been named Aurelius. I learnt fast not to argue with my darling wife when she is with child or sleep deprived.'

'Which is nearly all of the time,' Perenelle grinned.

'I want to make a highly publicised move back to London after the baby is born with you and Harry following quietly a week or so later.'

'It would be for the best. The public may have forgotten a number of things by now and you can recreate yourself as a loving father, husband and concerned citizen.'

'Yes,' Sirius mused. 'Ah look, here are Vlad, Mik, George and Rene with brooms.'

Perenelle nodded. 'I should really start researching a thing or two. Get back into the swing of things with the Ghosts because once Harry has gone to school I am going to have heaps of time on my hands.'

'That you are,' Sirius replied before standing and picking up his broom.

III

Harry's birthday party ended in a rush as Sirius took his wife off to the hospital as she went into labour with their fourth child. Soon after the guests made their excuses also and left, allowing Perenelle to take the three Black children to the hospital under the guise of being their nanny. Harry remained at Ravenclaw Manor with his best friends and their parents, a huge pile of gifts and a birthday feast.

'Harry, are you sure you don't want to go to the hospital?' Countess Ana asked again.

'Waiting here is more fun, besides, I have never been at the hospital when one of the babies was born. It has always been Sirius, Gen and their children. The way it should be.'

'Are you going to open your gifts, Harry?' Rene asked, as he sorted the gifts into piles.

'Why not?' Harry replied sitting on the floor between Mikhail and the blonde. 'Coco, will you please make a list of who gives me what so I may write thank you cards later.'

'Of course,' the Veela replied.

'Now, the gifts have been sorted into piles of importance. There is one from your family, there and one from us. One from kids at school we like and then the ones we don't like as much. Then there are the ones from the council members and their communities. Then there is this pile of the ones we don't know about.'

George and Vlad set about checking the gifts without return addresses for mal-intended spell work, as each was confirmed safe Harry opened the gift, Coco wrote down the information and Anastasia placed the gifts into one of three boxes, store, keep or an unmarked crate that had useless or thoughtless gifts thrown into it.

Half way through the piles, the group stopped for a light meal before returning to the unwrapping. As the number of presents dwindled Harry began receiving a number of interesting presents. A top of the line _Éclair 1980_ racing broom was the gift he received from a number of Veela families who's children were friends with the young lord, including the Fleur Delacour and her family, despite the young witch beginning her education at Beauxbatons years previously. Notable gifts Harry received included many books, a snitch, a beaters bat, a foe glass, dragon hide wand holsters, a set of Muggle hand weights, silk shirts, cashmere jumpers, gloves and socks, a heavy vampiric cape from Mikhail's grandfather, a bottle of tanning lotion from a school friend of Fleur's, jokes and sweets among other things. From the Elves Harry received yet another blade, a hand and a half sword, which would become a short sword once he grew to his adult height. Rene and his parents presented Harry with a rare link viper, a silvery snake popular with ancient Egyptian and Babylonian parseltongues as the creature could be hung around his neck and look like a thin necklace for a majority of the time. After a moment of conversation, the entire group found out that the tiny creatures name was Wilhelm and that he had a scathing wit. Rowin and the dwarves had left a cuff of mithril embedded with charmed diamonds, and a number of pairs of glasses frames made from the same indestructible material. Harry and company all laughed at the gift since Harry had already destroyed no less than three pairs after being prescribed glasses six months earlier. The dwarves also left a note saying that the construction of the new Potter Manor was complete. His family had given him mostly practical gifts in preparation for his return to Britain and school, or for his new home once he moved in.

'You didn't give him a gift,' Rene said turning to Mikhail and his parents once all the gifts were open.

'That's because we had an idea that would be so much better for a stereotypical, Hollywood bad boy,' Countess Ana replied. 'And we had to check with Penny and Sirius who both said yes.'

'What is it?' Harry asked.

'A vampiric tattoo,' Mikhail replied showing his forearms where his ten year old clan acknowledgement tattoos were. 'You can get it to say what ever you want and have it place where ever you want.'

Harry grinned and held out his left forearm. 'Prongs, Lilyflower, Padfoot and Penny Pen Pen Pen, around the middle of my forearm. Is it possible to have mine change like Mik's does?' Harry asked the count.

'You can have whatever you want, Harry.'

'When I consciously think about it I would really like it if the tattoo could change. When I have it in English its colour is white, in Dwarvish it is red- brown, in Elvish it is green, in the ancient Veela script it is grey and in Vampiric runes it is black.'

'And it changes when you concentrate on it?' Vlad asked and Harry nodded in reply.

The group watched in fascination as the Count used blood magic to inscribe the tattoo onto Harry's forearm, circling right the way around, first in English, and then in each of the other languages in the specified colours, with help from George for Veela script. After one hour of work, the Count sat back, his task complete while his wife used her blood magic to heal the area of inflamed skin that was devoid of any mark.

'Try it,' Rene whispered eagerly.

Harry closed his eyes and concentrated on seeing the tattoo in English. Opening them he saw the white writing twisted around his arm. Slowly he cycled through the different imaged coming to rest on the violent looking vampiric script. 'I think I will leave it like this for now,' Harry whispered. 'Thank you.'

'It was a pleasure,' Vlad grinned as Anastasia looked on.

'Boys, it is time for you to go to bed. It is late and Harry will need to spend tomorrow with his family, helping Perenelle with the younger children.'

The three boys sighed before Harry bid each of the four adults goodnight and led the way to his room where two extra beds had been set up.

Harry lay on his bed and quickly drifted off to sleep only to be woken what felt to be five minutes later by a cool hand on his forehead.

'Penny?'

'Yes, it's me. How did you know?'

'Cold hands,' Harry replied sleepily. 'Gen had the baby?'

'Not yet. The kids fell asleep so I brought them home to their beds,' Perenelle watch her godson struggle to remain conscious. 'I slipped off for a while and got something for you to look at in the morning.'

Harry nodded and soon was fast asleep again. Perenelle smiled and slipped the Hogwarts letter under his glasses on his bedside table, angered by the elegant green words, cupboard under the stairs.

'It won't be long now,' she whispered. 'The world will right itself yet.'

III

III


	10. 10 Return

III

Tricks, Ghosts and a Very Different Life

III

10 – Return

III

A week earlier, Sirius had made his highly reported return to England, his French wife and four children it tow. Since setting foot in magical London, the Black Lord had been unable to escape the paparazzi and mobs of female fans and former girlfriends. Genevieve had found their single trip to Diagon Alley amusing, for obvious reasons and Sirius was forced to buy out the third page of the weekend paper to explain once and for all to the public the reason for his return … his children and their upcoming education. The former Maurader also took the opportunity to outline a number of changes he believed needed to be made at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry which resulted in Albus Dumbledore printing the new plans for Hogwarts on page three of the paper the following Tuesday. After many owls from parents physical education was now a core class for junior students and optional for senior after French studies had proved that fit, healthy wizards and witches lasted longer in duels and had more magic at their disposal.

Harry threw down his paper after reading the article on Tuesday and took up a pen and paper making a list of things he needed to do in Paris before his own return to England the following day.

'_Penny, I need to go to Paris for some appointments this morning and some shopping this afternoon,'_ Harry hollered.

'_Ok.' _The woman replied._ 'What time is your first appointment?'_

'_Ten.'_

'_Let's go early and get some shopping done before hand.'_

'_I'll be ready in a few minutes,'_ Harry replied.

Perenelle and Harry arrived by apparition to le Quartier de Magique and promptly began their shopping. They spent the time before Harry's appointment with the magical optometrist in the bookstore where they bought a stack of books in French, English, German, Spanish, Italian and Latin. After a half hour long appointment where Harry received a years supply of contact lenses and picked up his quidditch goggles, the duo returned to their shopping buying a range of items from the boutiques filled with Muggle shoes and clothing. After a break for juice smoothie and a pastry, they began shopping for wizarding clothes, all of the best materials.

With a soft smile, Perenelle and Harry returned to the Ravenclaw Manor and packed up their final belongings for their move to Potter Manor.

'Hello? You guys ready?' Sirius called.

'I think so,' Harry bellowed in reply from his bedroom. 'Penny?'

'I have magic. I have been packed for almost and hour,' the witch replied appearing in the doorway.

'Thanks for the help,' Harry frowned, as Sirius and Perenelle shrunk the last boxes.

'You ready to go kiddo?'

'Yup,' Harry nodded as he took hold of the portkey.

'Going home,' Sirius enunciated.

The three landed in front of a large wood and metal gates flanked by thick high hedges. Harry smiled and looked closely at the gates the dwarves had made. The rectangular boarders of both gates were titanium and the hinges resided behind the leaves of the hedge. They were eight feet high and six feet across. Long pieces of magically reinforced timber of a dark wood rested vertically, hiding the manor and its grounds from prying eyes. In the centre of the barrier, where the two gates met, were the halves of a circular shield with a four foot diameter. On it was the Potter Family shield.

Seventeen stars rested around the rim of the image while a sword stood on its point down the centre, as did a wand, which was subtly engraved onto the titanium. On the left, a wolf on its hind legs rested its front paws on the hilt of the sword, on the right a hippogriff mirrored the action.

'Wolfgang, Flit,' Harry greeted.

'Hello, little master,' the wolf greeted.

'Master,' the hippogriff greeted in a decidedly feminine voice. 'Welcome home. Would you introduce your guests, please so we can permit them entrance next time without your permission?'

'Of course, these are my godparents, Lord Sirius Orion Black and Lady Perenelle Ravenclaw.'

'Pleasure,' Wolfgang growled. 'Now in you go. Muggles are coming.'

Flit's side gate opened a meter admitting the trio before closing and locking behind them. Harry grinned as he looked up the tree lined avenue to see his home in all its glory.

'Wow,' Sirius whispered. 'It's built from the same material as Gringotts.'

'No it's not. That is preserved sandstone,' Harry corrected walking forward. 'Gringotts is made from marble.'

'Is it furnished Harry?' Perenelle asked.

'I hope so,' the boy whispered. 'I asked Coco and Anastasia to take care of it. All you and I have to do is get the items up from the ancestral vaults, without Dumbledore knowing.'

'That will be a piece of cake,' Perenelle joked. 'Let's go look.'

The inside was as beautiful as the outside. Polished wooden floors and sleek tiled ones seamlessly flowed through the house as the white primed walls waited for colour.

'Master Harry?' a little house elf asked popping before the group.

'Yes.'

'Oh my! I be right back,' the elf wheezed.

Harry looked questioningly at each of his godparents who shrugged in reply.

'Look Aristotle. Tis Little Master Harry. He be Master Harry now.'

The other tiny creature sobbed upon seeing her master before she hugged his knees.

'Ah…'

'Confucius, Master Harry,' the elf announced with a bow.

'What is this?'

'We be waiting a long time for your return, Sir. We were both young elves when the bad man came, but we are proud to serve Master Harry.'

'And I am glad I have such faithful servants,' Harry replied. 'Would you and Aristotle please give us the Grand Tour?'

'Yes, Sir,' the little elf replied, adjusting his purple and sea blue tea towel. 'Right this way.'

III

Perenelle and Sirius had their hoods pulled up as they moved through the edge of the forest on the outskirts of Hogsmede. Standing beside the Shrieking Shack they saw a tiny figure who nodded her head as they drew near. Together they slipped in an underground passage, too small for a werewolf to fit in, and into the old house.

'Shelly, Sirius. Sirius, Shelly.'

'How do you do?' Sirius asked the woman placing a light kiss on her knuckles.

'Well thank you,' she replied without a trace of any obvious accent.

'Ok, we have a rather large list of objectives to accomplish in the next twelve hours, and I don't really want to have to come back tomorrow night.'

'What do we have to get done?'

'We have to clean up in here and assign a house elf from the school to keep it clean. Not to mention update the wards around it. However, that can be done at a later date so we shall leave it for now.'

'Straight into the school then?' Shelly asked.

'That's the plan.'

'I have to carry out the ritual my mother taught me. It has been years since I, or any of the heirs have done it.'

'I brought that blood you asked for.'

'Great. Did you get some from your cousins too?'

'Of course. I am not incompetent.'

'I never thought you were, Michelle.'

'Did Sirius get the blood too?'

'Yes, I did, Miss Alexander.'

'How?'

'I don't forget little first years who try and blackmail me into dating them.'

'I guess not,' the woman smirked.

'You haven't grown much.'

'The curse of having two short parents I guess.'

'Still got your eye on Wood?' Perenelle asked.

'You're after a Wood?!

'Yes, Sirius. I happen to have a thing for a certain rusty headed man.'

'Ric?'

'Yes, Eric.'

'Got a good beater arm on him that one. Is his youngest brother at school yet?'

'Oliver is a fifth year Gryffindor.'

'Hopefully he will be able to guide Harry.'

'We can hope,' Perenelle agreed. 'Let's cut the chit chat. Shelly, you have to get Dumbledore to hire you. I have to pour fifteen vials of blood into a hole and perform a ritual that is going to fix the castle up, and replenish her magic and her wands. Sirius, you have to map the place, again.'

'It will take about a week. For one map.'

'Well, once I am on faculty I can help you out a bit,' Shelly offered.

'Or we could ask house elves.'

'Well, through the tunnel it is,' Perenelle said. 'Good luck with all your goals.'

'Thanks, Boss,' Sirius replied, pulling up the trap door and disappearing down the hole.

'It's good to be back on the team, Penny.'

'It's good to have you back, Shelly. Get to it.'

'With relish.'

Perenelle watched as the second Ghost slipped down the hole.

'Muffy?'

'Yes, Miss Ravenclaw?' a house elf asked appearing at Perenelle's feet.

'I need you to get a team and to restore the interior of this house immediately. I also need the exterior restored but not as obviously. I need creepers covering the entrances and exits on the lower levels. And the windows blacked out from the exterior, but able to be seen out of from the exterior. I also need spare outfits and the food, and wands and potions and other supplies placed in heavy locked trunks in each room.'

'It will be done.'

'Get your team and begin.'

Perenelle stood by the trapdoor until thirty tiny elves filled the room around her. Nodding she slipped into the tunnel and closed the door behind her before heading to Hogwarts.

Slipping out of the roots of the Whomping Willow, Perenelle walked slowly across the grounds, spotting a number of light creatures looking at her progress across the lawns. As she approached the building she felt a slight tingle in her body.

'What has that man done to you, Hogwarts?' she asked aloud as the tingling grew stronger.

'P, what's going on?' a male voice asked from behind his Ghosts hood.

'What do you mean, B?'

'The tingling!'

'P! What the heck is going on?' the petite Ghost asked sneaking up.

'S! B! You have never felt this before?'

'No.'

'Never.'

'Pull out. We are not going ahead with the plans. Everything is aborted. Follow me. Wands out.'

Perenelle then led Sirius and Shelly into the dungeons and around the winding passages until they reached a dead end.

'What has he done?' Perenelle growled.

'What has who done?'

'Dumbledore.'

Perenelle closed her eyes and began waving her wand. Swapping a quick glance with Shelly, Sirius began doing the same while Shelly turned and watched the corridor. The wall that was blocking them then turned into a heavy wooden door, which Perenelle pulled open.

'Where are we?' Sirius asked.

'The ward room, where all the wards of Hogwarts are held and kept strong. When I was a little girl, I would watch Uncle Salazar, my godfather, check each individual crystal to make sure each ward was working correctly. He showed me how to check them and adjust if necessary. That was one of the reasons he and Godric had that falling out. Godric thought I was too young to learn how and wanted a Muggle born wizard to learn the art. From there the fallacies grew and spread until we are here where we are today,' Perenelle told Sirius and Shelly as she flittered around the room. 'I learnt the art because Uncle Salazar knew of the prophecy that surrounds me and knew that I would be around a long time to look after the school.'

'Are the wards strong?' Sirius asked.

'The wards contain a virus. They have been tainted by the fool. They are so close to falling it's amazing that the school's enchantments still work.'

Perenelle crossed to a wall and ran her fingers over the stones before pushing one in to reveal a brewing room. With a wave of her wand, ingredients were flying around the room. Knives were chopping and shredding and two cauldrons bubbling.

'What are you doing?' Shelly asked.

'Each piece of glass back in the other room is the anchor to a separate ward. Each anchor is meant to be primed and cared for separately as often as possible through polishing and dipping in healing and hardening solutions and replacing if it has become cracked. The stones that glow blue have cracks in them. The stones glowing red have been tampered with and are being attacked by the virus. The ones that glow white are healthy. Look out there and see how many healthy anchor stones you see.'

Both Ghosts didn't have to look to know that few stones were without problem.

'It will take the better part of a week for me to start fixing this. I want you to both leave me here and to come up with new plans to over throw Dumbledore. Sirius, get on the Board of Governors. Shelly, take Harry into the Ministry and get the true prophecy. Take these ingredients lists and bring me back enough for at least five batches of each by tomorrow night. I have a lot to do if I am to undermine Albus Dumbledore satisfactorily.'

'If I go now I might be able to get some of these ingredients back here to you before dawn,' Shelly said looking over the list.

'No. Bring them tomorrow in one go. I have to work out how to remove the viruses first and that will take today. Go. You have a lot to do and so do I.'

Sirius and Shelly left after watching Perenelle begin pulling anchors off the shelves in the first room while cauldrons bubbled in the second.

'I don't think I have ever seen Penny so angry.'

'I haven't either,' Sirius replied softly. 'That buzzing we felt. It was as if Hogwarts was fighting an Imperious Curse.'

'She probably is,' Shelly frowned. 'And that's what scares me.'

'The Lord of Light's clarity seems to be failing.'

'Or you could just say he's going bad.'

'I don't even want to think about that happening. Dumbledore is more powerful than Voldemort.'

'Which is why we are acting immediately.'

'We'd best get a move on.'

III

Harry sat in his bedroom at Potter Manor, Sirius and a Ghost named Shelly pacing in front of him as he looked at the glassy sphere that held his prophecy. His godmother had been out in the field for a week and now his godfather was upset about something.

'Siri? What's going on?'

The two adults swapped a glance.

'Perenelle is fixing Hogwarts. Dumbledore was attempting to destroy her. Tonight we are going to go back but Penny wants us to take you too, and I am worried about how we are going to do it.'

'What do you mean?'

'What Sirius means is,' Shelly began taking over. 'Is that you are too small to keep up with us adequately if you have to run. You don't have a wand and you can't do magic. That and we don't know how to get you into the castle.'

'You could transfigure me, disillusion me, carry me or I could walk in.'

'How?'

'Distractions, Padfoot. That's how.'

'How long until dinner?'

'An hour or so.'

'There's time. Ok. At all Gringotts banks people cast a charm on themselves every time they read the plaque. If we charmed letters similarly I am sure a number of Hogwarts staff would be far more concerned with their discomfort than say strange happenings in the castle.'

'I see it,' Sirius grinned. 'Some itch begins after reading a note that says, oh, I don't know, 'Hello Minnie, this is just a quick note to say I am glad to be home. Sirius Black, Marauder' or something of that ilk.'

'Send it to all your former teachers and enemies and we have a clear shot at getting in unnoticed.'

'I like the way you think, Harry,' Shelly grinned dumping parchment and quills in Sirius's lap. 'I like it a lot.'

III

The three pranksters walked as calm as yo please through the halls of Hogwarts after taking a moment to observe their handy work in the Great Hall. Severus Snape was periodically bursting into flame, Filius Flitwick was blowing bubbles every time he opened his mouth, Minerva McGonagall was wearing clothing more suitable one a young seductress rather than a stern professor and Dumbledore was speaking in limericks while walking backwards.

Walking into the wards room, the trio saw that three quarters of the stones had either been repaired or replaced and the wards resecured stronger than ever.

'Penny!'

'Hey Harry,' Perenelle whispered tiredly bending down to hug her godson. 'How you doing?'

'Good thanks. Are you going to teach us how to look after the wards?'

'Yes. I am. First I want you each to grab a pale blue anchor stone. These ones have slight cracks in them that can be repaired. Using these tongs take the stone and dip it into the bronze cauldron, which is a healing potion. Then I want you to dip it into the other cauldron, which contains a hardening potion. Grab a cloth and polish the stone, wipe down the shelf and put it back. It should then glow bright white. Then get a new stone.'

The four worked steadily for almost two hours before Harry groaned in frustration. 'Penny, I did it but the stone is still glowing a bit blue.'

'Ok. Repeat the steps you just did. You can do those steps three times and if it still glows blue, go and get a new anchor stone roughly the same size from the next room, complete the process with that stone and put it on the shelf.'

After a few more hours, the group stopped for something to eat and Harry had a nap as the time approached mid night. The three adults ate and continued working until all the blue glowing stones were completed, once again glowing bright white. The group stopped for a second break and as they got ready to start work again they work Harry.

'Harry. You need to wake up and learn how to treat the red glowing stones.'

'Ok,' the boy groaned. 'I'm up Siri.'

'Good boy.'

'You right, Harry?' Perenelle asked.

'Yes.'

'Ok. With the purple, pink and red stones, they have been tampered with. I like to say they have a virus, or something foreign in their system. The gold cauldrons along the side wall are filled with varying strength potions designed to remove the virus. On the left are the weakest ones and on the right the strongest ones. To treat you have to dip the stone into the first cauldron and leave it a minute. If it is still red or pink, dip it in the second cauldron then leave it a minute until it is glowing white. Then you have to do what we did for all the blue stones and put them back on the shelves. The purple stones, first remove the virus and then treat the damage,' Perenelle instructed. 'We are on the homeward run. We should be out of here by dawn.'

'Let's get to work,' Shelly groaned getting to her feet and beginning the process.

Dawn arrived to see the second room packed up and tidy and the anchor stones room glowing in bright white lights. Four tired figures made their way though the shadows out the gate of Hogwarts before apparating away.

III

III


	11. 11 School

III

III

Tricks, Ghosts and a Very Different Life

III

11 - School

III

Sirius rolled his eyes as the governors of Hogwarts debated policy.

'I say we bring in Eric Wood as the Physical Education professor,' a white haired wizard announced before he was backed with a round of 'here heres' from other members of the board.

'What about Michelle Pritchard?' Sirius asked. 'She makes a good point in her application. Students will also need to learn about the importance of diet and a female teacher would be extremely helpful. Girls should be able to speak with girls about girl problems.'

'Though I loathe to admit it,' Horatio Greengrass admitted. 'Black has a clear and valid point. I would fully support the appointment of two Physical Education instructors. From her resume, Miss Pritchard is a capable healer and brewer, and I am certain Severus and Poppy could both use the extra assistance from time to time.'

Surprised at the support from an unexpected ally, Sirius forced himself to recover quickly. 'All those in favour of this proposal say aye,' he called.

'The ayes have it. As chairman I shall write the appropriate notes,' Roald Cornwell announced. 'Hogwarts shall gain two new, young staff members. Now, if that is all this board is adjourned until the Halloween meeting. Good day.'

Sirius rose from the table quickly and left, apparating away before anyone had the chance to call his name in the hope of drawing him into conversation.

III

A few days later, September first arrived leaving Harry jittery out of excitement as he moved around the Black Manor.

'Stop pacing,' Sirius requested.

'Read a book, darling,' Perenelle added.

'I can't,' Harry replied. 'At this moment, I am on the Hogwarts Express, making first impressions. Friends. Possible enemies. I hate not being in control.'

'Ok,' Perenelle nodded sitting forward in her seat. 'Who are the people in your grade that you think you may want to be friends with?'

'Neville Longbottom, heir apparent of the Longbottom Family with distant ties to founders. He has possibly been wronged by Albus Dumbledore in some way. I will let you know once I meet him. The Weasley Twins, Ronald aka Ron and Ginevra, aka Ginny, Gin or Ginnikins. From two very old families, the Weasleys and Prewitts. Not wealthy, but loyal, strong supporters of what they believe in. Blaise Zabini, only son of Allegra, gold-digger. Seemingly highly intelligent and will one day be family Lord. Daphne Greengrass, old family. Susan Bones, had many family members in high places. It's always good to have a Hufflepuff onside. Padma Patil, quite, smart, more pleasant than her twin. Likes choc- chip strawberry ice cream. Seamus Finnegan, mother disowned for marrying Muggle, potentially quite powerful with good connections since the family reconciled. There is possibility in Draco Malfoy, but I shall wait and see if he can be saved.'

'Don't forget to treat everyone equally,' Sirius suggested. 'Be friends with Muggleborns as well.'

'Sirius, my best friends are a Veela and a Vampire. I think that I can treat everyone equally.'

'I know,' Sirius groaned. 'I was just reminding you.'

'Use all the resources that you can. Choose subjects to excel at and ones in which to just be average. Use the library to find out information on the Grey Arts. As you finish each of Nicholas's books, let us know and we shall get you another one.'

'No speaking parseltongue except when you are alone.'

'And remember what you have to do this afternoon at the feast.'

'Let's go over it once more, just in case,' Perenelle suggested.

Harry sat himself down on the floor and prepared to recite his role in the uprising that evening.

III

Harry stood just inside the doors to Hogwarts Great Hall flanked by his godparents waiting from the signal from Shelley, who, as a staff member sat on the inside. She had already let them know that the other Harry had been sorted into Gryffindor making the real Harry groan. It wouldn't be convenient for his plans but the sorting would make many underestimate him, long term if he played his cards correctly.

The band of his watch began to pulse and he felt Perenelle's hand rest lightly on his shoulder. Harry nodded that he was ready and let Sirius use magic to throw the hall doors open. Almost one thousand faces immediately placed their attention on him.

'Harry Potter, would you please stand,' Harry asked.

The malnutritioned version of himself stood from his place at the Gryffindor table and moved into the centre of the aisle. 'Yes?'

Harry pulled the woollen hooded cloak off and let the whole hall see him for who he was. Slowly, Harry walked towards Regulus who was looking at him with a pained expression on his face.

'Déjà vu,' the abused boy whispered. 'But I can't remember.'

Harry reached out and touched his own much thinner face. 'Do you remember now?'

The other Harry stood stunned for a moment before he began pulling off the outer layers of clothing while he swore like a sailor. Harry stood watching for a moment until the other boy began to grow and his facial features change.

'Here, you better put this on,' Harry said, throwing the cloak around Regulus's shoulders as the younger Black son's face began to emerge.

The hood was quickly flipped up. 'Thank you, Harry.'

'Not a problem. Just take it easy for a moment.'

The pair stood together in the middle of the hall for a few moments until Regulus was once again his true self.

'Have you got a pensive?'

'Here,' Sirius offered walking up with Perenelle, their identities kept secret as well by the hoods covering their faces.

Regulus gasped before he began draining his memories into the secure bowl, for criminal proceedings. When done the bowl was handed to Harry who held it for a moment as he looked straight at the Headmaster, his mental shields up full force. 'Keep it for when it may become useful,' Harry said handing it back to Sirius smiling as he saw the moment of shock on Dumbledore's face at the thinly veiled threat.

Sirius reached out with his spare hand and ruffled Harry's hair. 'Hogwarts' will look out for you. Enjoy school.'

'I will,' Harry grinned.

'Thank you,' Regulus whispered.

'No, thank you,' Harry replied, holding out his hand to shake his godfather's brother's. 'Take care now.'

Perenelle bent and kissed Harry on the brow. 'Hogwarts. Take care of him and all the true of heart,' she called. The castle grew warmer in reply as the enchantments that shielded Albus Dumbledore from the truth fell.

'Thanks,' Harry whispered as the castle buzzed in the back of his mind.

'You have the buzz there?' Perenelle whispered touching the base of his skull.

'Yes.'

'Those who have the buzz are heirs. Hogwarts will shield you all from Albus and his manipulations. Talk to Neville and if you think he should meet me use your necklace to call. I will be here in minutes, ok.'

'Ok.'

The Great Hall watched mutely as the three seemingly apparated out of the Great Hall and Harry sat down at Gryffindor table.

'I'm starved,' Harry said loudly enough so that everyone in the hall could hear. 'Let's eat.'

With his words, the food appeared on all the tables and a frown upon Albus Dumbledore's face.

III

While the entire school was in the Great Hall eating their feast Perenelle, Sirius and Regulus were moving through the castle carrying out their tasks. Perenelle was in the dungeon room, protecting it from anyone who wanted to maim, control or destroy Hogwarts for their own gain. Sirius was mapping the castle to create a deluxe version of the Marauders Map of his school days. Regulus was gathering evidence against Albus Dumbledore and his staff.

The school emptied the hall as Sirius was finishing mapping the dungeons. The moment he was done, Sirius took the new map to Perenelle and with her help duplicated it a number of times. Shelley slipped into the room and was presented with her copy of the map before she quickly disappeared again. Sirius and Perenelle waited for Regulus to arrive back for half an hour before he finally arrived in the room panting from exhaustion.

'Listen,' the still handsome young man puffed, throwing a paper weight onto the table and casting the spell to cause the recorded sounds to replay.

Sirius and Perenelle's faces hardened as they listened to Dumbledore's mutterings regarding Harry, themselves, the switch of Harry's, his loss of power over the castle, the subtle threat Harry made suggesting using the other Harry's memories against him in the courts, what he could do to get this Harry under his control.

'This is out of control, that's what it is,' Sirius hissed punching the stone wall.

'Harry will have to learn his grey arts quickly,' Perenelle agreed.

'Harry is a Grey Lord?' Regulus asked in shock.

'It's seems so,' Perenelle replied with a nod.

'I know where all the information is. Voldemort gathered it up during the last war.'

'It is your job to get it and bring it back here to Harry. We need to set up a room for Harry to use,' Perenelle muttered.

'Godric Gryffindor's old rooms. They once opened for James while we were here.'

'James was the direct heir? I thought the Potter's were of a lesser line.'

'It was all a façade to help keep them safe,' Sirius replied.

'That makes Harry a Ravenclaw and a Gryffindor by blood and a Slytherin by magic,' Regulus gasped.

'What do you mean?'

'My old mark itches when I am close to Harry. I think that when the Dark Lord tried to create a Horcrux that night, the magic went wrong and he made Harry his heir. From memory, the wording in Latin is very similar.'

'Yes,' Perenelle nodded. 'But Tom wouldn't have made a mistake like that.'

'Accidents happen,' Sirius nodded. 'We should probably check that Harry isn't a Horcrux.' 

'He's not. That was one of the first things I did after I recovered from the swim at Dover,' Perenelle replied. 'And I started looking for the other horcruxes over the years after finding that one in the Black Manor all those years ago.'

'You did find it,' Regulus sighed. 'Good. Very good.'

'We still don't know how to destroy it.'

'No, Sirius, we aren't sure how to destroy it. We do have ideas,' Perenelle said firmly. 'What we have to work out is why Regulus's mark itches when Harry is close.'

'I have a better idea of what to do right now and it involves a greasy haired potions professor,' Sirius grinned.

'Be mature, Sirius,' Perenelle snapped as the Black brothers slipped out the door. 'Don't incapacitate him too badly, ok?'

Silence was her only reply.

III

Harry woke his first full day at Hogwarts School for Witchcraft and Wizardry as dawn broke over the lake causing its surface to shimmer. Moving to his desk, the eleven year old put pen to paper and began writing a number of letters to his fellow first year students. To the students of the red, blue and yellow houses, Harry extended a hand of friendship in he form of an offer to do things together in a group; a study club, a book club, a chess club. To the two members of the green house, Blaise and Daphne, Harry extended a request that they join one of the groups as they pleased, so that business could be conducted in a seemingly innocent manner.

As the new Gryffindor students sat down to their house table, the mail owls arrived, delivering the messages Harry had penned earlier that morning. Gryffindor first year students, Neville, Ginny, Ron, Dean, Hermione and Seamus all showed immediate interest in Harry's idea to his delight. Looking at Hufflepuff, the messy haired boy caught Susan Bones's eye and she nodded affirmatively in reply with a shy smile. Padma Patil smiled and winked when her brown eyes met Harry's green, before both students returned to their respective breakfasts.

'What was that you slipped into your pocket?' Neville asked Harry quietly as they ate.

'Just a little something that I forgot,' Harry replied, patting the pocket his Deluxe Edition of the Marauders Map was in. 'Why?'

'Because I think that message there on the floor fell out of it. That's why. And further more I can read my own name.'

Harry leant down and picked up the letter. 'I'll explain later, ok, Neville.'

The sandy blonde nodded and smiled. 'Let's go to transfiguration,' Neville suggested looking up from his timetable.

The nine Gryffindor first years made it through their first class with their Head of House, Minerva McGonagall without problem. They soon all dozed during their first History of Magic lesson with their only dead teacher and after a pleasant lunch, they enjoyed charms with the Ravenclaws, under the direction of Charms Master Filius Flitwick.

After lessons were over, Neville, Harry and the other first years made their way back to the tower to relax before dinner. After a few minutes of chatting Harry made his way up the boys staircase to the dorms followed by the day older boy.

'What was that letter about?' Neville asked, his curiosity overflowing.

'My guardian asked about you. That's all. She wants me to ask you a few questions.'

'Like what?'

'When did you first show signs of magic?' Harry asked, pressing a button on his watch so Perenelle could listen in.

'It wasn't till a few years ago. Grandma and my Great Uncle were surprised I even got a letter for school. They thought I was a squib.'

'And do you ever feel as if there is something holding you back when you tried to perform magic in the past?'

'Yes. How did you know?'

'I have this funny kind of magic that lets me sense things. I can feel that there is something not right about you. Like there is a stopper about to pop out of the jar and its going to explode.'

'Is that good?' Neville asked.

Harry shook his head in reply.

'Is there someway we can check then? See the nurse?'

'I can check, Neville. If you'll let me.'

The blond boy nodded. 'Ok.'

Harry drew in a deep breath and focused of everything he knew about the Grey Arts. He focused all his intention of seeing the core of Neville's magic. Harry closed his eyes and when he slowly opened them he gasped in surprise.

'Is everything alright?'

'It worked!' Harry laughed.

'It wasn't supposed to?' Neville asked confused.

'I just didn't expect it to first go. That's all.'

'What do you see?'

'Your magic has been bound. But there are holes where I can see it shining through. The thing is your magic is trying to escape and that is like a cauldron about to explode.'

'What do I do?' Neville panicked.

'Nothing,' Harry told him. 'Nothing. I promise you will be as right as rain in the morning. You'll feel the difference.'

'If you're sure,' the chubby boy replied warily.

'What are friends for?' Harry asked.

Neville grinned shakily. 'I'm hungry and I am sure Ron is too. How about we go down to dinner?'

'Sounds like a great idea,' Harry said clapping the other boy on his back.

As the pair made their way back down the stairs, Harry felt his watch heat up as Perenelle sent her message through. Glancing at the piece as if to check the time Harry saw the message and turned off the broadcasting capabilities. Pushing another button, he set the alarm for two in the morning before joining his year mates in the search for the Great Hall and their evening meal.

III

The alarm woke Harry at two am and the messy haired boy looked around to find his godmother bending over Ronald Weasley's bed, rather than Neville's.

'Penny. Longbottom's bed is on my other side.'

'I know. I have finished with him. The bindings are mostly unravelled, he should be able to finish them off himself.'

'Then why are you with Ron?'

'Well, I knew the boy is a twin but he has a rather developed radar sense around him.'

'I noticed that,' Harry whispered. 'So what?'

'I went up to the girl's dorms and checked his twin. Ginevra has the twin sense and that's it.'

'You mean that Ron here is a partial seer?'

'Yes, and I am just unlocking the talent so that it doesn't go to waste.'

'But twins have to have equal magical power otherwise they would have hurt each other before they were born.'

'You remember that,' Perenelle said with surprise. 'Yes, the equilibrium is restored by Ginevra being the seventh child. She's lucky.'

Harry nodded. 'So, about Ron?'

'He'll be able to know what is going on around him for a twenty foot radius, which will grow as he and his ability does.'

'Thanks for coming and doing that for Neville.'

'I was going to do it anyway if you remember, Harry.'

Harry grinned. 'Night Penny Pen Pen Pen.'

'Night, my darling,' Perenelle whispered as Harry lay back down in his bed. 'Sweet dreams.'

III

'Snake!' came the high pitched scream from the common room. 'Snake.'

Harry sat bolt upright in bed and let his fingers creep towards his throat before he threw off his covers and headed for the stairs with many of the other Gryffindor House students.

'Snake.'

'Stop!' Harry yelled. 'Leave him alone. Move. Let me through.'

Harry reached the common room to see a red face fifth year standing on a chair with a firepoker in her hand.

'What are you doing?' Harry asked, looking up at the girl.

'Harry Potter! Get away there's a snake. You could get hurt!' the girl shrieked. One of the older boys picked Harry up and threw the younger boy over his shoulder.

'He's a tiny little snake! Put me down! She's trying to kill Wilhelm!' Harry yelled.

'Who?' the older boy asked Harry, who lay over his shoulder, his Scottish accent thick with sleepiness.

'The foot long silver snake she saw,' Harry said squirming.

'How did you know that?' the girl asked.

'Because he's Wilhelm, my snake, stupid,' Harry snarled before he began to hiss. The room paused and watched as the snake slid from behind a portrait frame and hissed back at the Boy- Who- Lived, who again hissed in reply. 'You wanna put me down?' Harry asked.

'Sorry,' the older boy apologised.

Harry stared at the tattoo on the rusty hair boy's bare shoulder for a moment before he turned and walked over to the delicately thin snake, picking it up. 'Wilhelm is a Babalonian Link Viper, one of the ruling breeds of snake. No one is to hurt him if they find him in the common room. He was just returning from hunting.'

'You're a parselmouth,' a seventh year whispered.

'And Voldemort is a parselmouth, so I must be Voldemort reborn. I have heard it before. Slytherins are bad, parseltongue is bad. Well, let me tell you. When my guardians discovered that I was a parseltongue they went and they learnt that one of Roweena Ravenclaw's grandchildren was a parselmouth. Merlin was one too. It's a case where one bad egg has ruined the whole batch,' Harry said quietly sitting by the fire. 'Not all parselmouths are bad.'

'Can I touch him, Wilhelm, that is?' a boy asked.

'Sure,' Harry shrugged. 'What's your name?'

'Lee Jordan.'

Harry handed the snake over and the common room watched as the snake curled itself around the boy's wrist.

'He says you're warm,' Harry translated.

'Cool,' Lee grinned as Harry got up and began tugging on the portrait the snake was hiding behind.

'What are you doing, Harry?' the boy who picked him up asked.

'Wil says there is a passage behind here and a hall of some kind.'

'Budge up and let me try.'

'Thanks,' Harry said, as the boy pulled the portrait back. 'Lucky it's Saturday. We can explore.'

'How about after breakfast?' the teen asked.

Harry shrugged in reply and accepted his pet back from Lee Jordan.

'Why did you look at my tattoo like you did?'

'Because like you I was born with hidden marks.'

'I'm Oliver Wood, Quidditch Captain. And you have many secrets, Harry Potter. We'll talk later, ok?'

Harry nodded and made his way back upstairs to change out of his pyjamas.

III

After breakfast, half of Gryffindor waited in the common room as Harry, with Oliver Wood as his bodyguard made their way down the dusty passage.

'This passage hasn't been used in decades,' Oliver hissed brushing cobwebs out of the way.

'Centuries,' Harry guessed, knowing that the Maruaders had never been down the passage. 'The rat bones on the floor are too yellow.'

'How do you know that?'

'I live in a manor with many secret passages that have been forgotten.'

'I'd love to live in a manor,' Oliver whispered.

'I'd love to live with my parents and siblings,' Harry responded. 'Stop broadcasting your thoughts.'

'But I thought by thoughts were protected by grey magic,' Oliver exclaimed. 'That's what the only book I could find said anyway.'

'It must have been one of the earlier works by Curzon.'

'His first,' Oliver replied.

'He later discovered, after his daughter was discovered to be grey, that grey magicians can still access your mind, along with experienced and skilled normal wizards. Dumbledore, I suspect is grey from what I know about the man and Snape is renowned for his ability to mask his emotions, the sign of a master of the mind arts.'

'You know a lot for one so young.'

'I grew up with a Ravenclaw.'

'Do you play quidditch?'

'Yes.'

'We need a seeker for the house team.'

'First years aren't allowed to play.'

'I'm sure you have contacts on the board of governors that could help in getting that rule changed,' Oliver suggested as they cleared away the last of the obstacles and pushed open the portrait. 'Wow!'

'Welcome to the Gryffindor Study Hall. It hasn't been used in centuries,' a portrait called. 'Come in come in.'

'Godric Gryffindor,' Oliver whispered.

'Yes, that's me,' the portrait boomed. 'You, son, go back and get the rest of your house mates.'

'Me?'

'Yes, you,' Godric instructed as Oliver dashed off. 'And who are you?'

'Harry Potter, of Ravenclaw and Gryffindor ancestry, Sir.'

'Really boy?' Godric grinned. 'With your eyes I wouldn't be surprised if there were more.'

'What do you mean?'

'Tell me do you speak with serpents?'

Harry hissed and Wilhelm slithered out of his collar.

'You and I have matters we should discuss.'

'How about in your personal quarters?'

'You can enter them?' Godric asked.

'Tell me where they are and I'll try,' Harry grinned.

'There are two entrances. One is in that passage back there. There is a Hogwarts Crest engraved into the stone. Smear a drop of blood on the Gryffindor Lion and state your name to get in. If you manage to enter, you may set a password from the inside.'

'Thank you, Sir,' Harry nodded as his housemates began filling the room.

'Gryffindor House,' Godric called as the last student, Oliver entered. 'Centuries past, our house was considered to be brave and a tad foolhardy. We rushed into situations without thinking without the proper knowledge. With the help of a past headmaster this room was created so that we Gryffindors would never be in such a position again. I want this house to be the best house to be in. Each of you to have the Ravenclaw thirst for knowledge, Slytherin ambition for your futures and Hufflepuff loyalty to each other. This morning you all discovered young Harry was a Parseltongue. Keep his secret, and others you learn, for they are not yours to tell. Do not fight amongst yourselves outside the common room, show your solidarity as a house to the other students in this school. Support each other within this house. And most importantly do your best, so you will never have any regrets. Now, with the speech over and concluded. I want you as a house to clean this room and make it your secret weapon against your classmates. Snap too it! You older ones clean with magic while the younger rearrange the books.'

'Yes, Sir!' Harry, laughed before moving over to a shelf and pulling books off it.

'Wait!' Percy Weasley called. 'I want you all to listen to me. This has to be done in an organised fashion. Use summoning spells to get the books off the shelves and sort them in the middle of the floor. Fifth through seventh years should clean.'

Percy's voice was soon drowned out by the noise filling the room. The students worked together until lunch when they all made their way down to the Great Hall. Harry ate quickly before he pulled out his copy of the Marauders Map in deserted hall and made his way to the kitchens.

'Excuse me,' Harry called after tickling his way past the pear, through the portrait and into the kitchen.

'Yes, Sir,' a house elf asked.

'My greetings, lunch was delicious. I am Harry Potter and as the direct heir of Gryffindor I have a request of the Hogwarts elves.'

All the elves stopped their work and silence descended on the kitchens.

'Master Potter, I am Bons, Head Elf. How may we serve?' the elf asked.

'A secret study room was found in Gryffindor Tower this morning and the house has spent the morning cleaning it, however we have been nowhere near as successful as we might have hoped. I was wondering if you could go and clean the area properly while the students ate, leaving us to return the books to the shelves?' Harry asked.

'Of course, Sir,' Bons replied, quickly directing a team of elves who disappeared. 'It is done.'

'Thank you,' Harry said with a smile. 'Keep up the excellent work, all of you. And if you could send afternoon refreshments to the Gryffindor study room that would be greatly appreciated.'

Leaving the kitchens, Harry raced upstairs and into the passage nicking his finger on his Suisse Army Knife and smearing the blood as instructed. The stones forming the wall folded back to let him pass then back into place behind him as he made his way into a brown furnished office.

'So you made it then,' Gryffindor said from the portrait hanging over the desk. 'Which makes you my heir.'

'It does, Sir.'

The two smiled at each other for a moment.

'Sir…'

'When we are alone you may call me Papa,' the ancient wizard said.

'Papa, what did you mean earlier when you mentioned something about my ancestry. I am descended from Ellen St Claire.'

'My goddaughter. Do you know whom she married?'

'No, Papa.'

'A Muggle noble family's youngest son, a wizard named Sam. And do you know who their eldest son, Liam married?' Harry shook his head in reply before Godric continued on. 'Salazar's eldest child, Ariel's only offspring, Ardin the Spirited, who was famous for her emerald green eyes. Her mother's eyes and her grandfather's eyes. You see Harry. Slytherin genes depicted that the eldest child, of the line with magical ability received those eyes, as a symbol of his worthiness as Family Lord or Lady.'

'I didn't know that Ladies could rule.'

'They can't anymore. And Salazar's sons made that happen, but they were Lords, in name only. I knew a rumour that only one with those green eyes could open the vaults.'

'But you and Salazar fought. He was kicked out of Hogwarts.'

'Sal let the mutiny in his family affect this school. He left everything he had of value here within his walls before he went off on his journey, never to return.'

'And you think that my eyes signal that I am his heir as well.'

'Yes. How else the parseltongue?'

'One of Liam's cousins was a parseltongue.'

'True, but you are not related to her, and her mother was one of Sal's nieces.'

'My mother was a muggleborn.'

'Not true by the simple fact we know she was related to Rowena Ravenclaw.'

'My mother was Lady Slytherin?'

'Only the child of a Slytherin and a Gryffindor could defeat another stupid Slytherin.'

'I have the bravery, the ambition and the brains.'

'So to speak.'

'I am going to have to have a lot of children if I am ever to pass these titles on.'

'That you are,' Gryffindor smiled. 'Now off you go. Your peers are rearranging the library. You should go help.'

Harry nodded and left the room in a thoughtful mood.

III

III


End file.
